Duel Academy Prom
by AnyDreamWillDo19
Summary: The Duel Academy in New Domino City is hosting it's first prom in twenty years, and everyone who's anyone is going! But will Yusei Fudo have the courage to ask Akiza Izinski, or well he let fear of losing his friend cause him to pass up the opportunity?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: The Decision**

"Attention all Duel Academy students. This is a reminder that the Academy Prom is in two weeks time. The theme is 'Rose Garden.' You can purchase tickets in the office until the end of this week. Thank you."With that announcement, the final bell rang. Students poured out of the academy doors and out into the bustling City of New Domino, more commonly called New Domino City. Among the flow of students was Akiza Izinski, who was talking to her father on her cell phone with anxious expression on her face. As she stepped out into the blazing sunlight, she closed the phone and sighed. She sat down on one of the benches outside of the academy and rested her head on her hand, staring down at the sidewalk.

_What am I going to do now? _She thought fretfully, twirling a strand of her red hair around her finger_. With my duel runner still broken and daddy stuck at work, how will I get home?_

"Hey, Akiza!" A young voice called. Akiza looked up and saw Leo and Luna running towards her.

"So, you're still coming to our place later, right?" Leo asked excitedly. "I'm really, really, really going too need some help with my homework tonight. Dr. Heitmann gave us, like, a truckload to do!"

"I'm sorry, Leo," Akiza said sadly, looking away from his hopeful face. "I'm not sure if I'm going anywhere today."

"Why not?" Luna asked, sitting next to her friend. "Is everything okay, Akiza?"

"Well," Akiza began, "right now I'm not even sure if I'm going to be able to get home. You see, my duel runner broke down over the weekend, and we haven't sent it in to get fixed yet. My dad was going to do it today and drop it off here, but he got an emergency call at work and had to leave it in a hurry. My mom can't bring it because she doesn't know a thing about duel runners."

"Couldn't your dad come and pick you up?" Leo asked desperately. He really needed help with his homework!

"He can't," Akiza said, hating to see Leo look so disappointed. "He's still working, and he took the family car, so my mom can't come either. I would take a bus, but I didn't think to bring any money this morning."

"That's not good," The twins said that the same time. Luna patted her friend's hand comfortingly.

"No, it's not," Akiza sighed, squeezing Luna's hand. Then she stood up. "It looks like I'll be walking today."

"But, Akiza, you live, like, ten miles away!" Leo cried.

Akiza chuckled half-heartedly. "It's not quite that far, Leo, but it's definitely not close. But what other choice do I have?"

Her question was answered by the revving of a familiar engine. The three friends turned to see a black and yellow duel runner come up the street and stop right in front of them. The person riding it looked up and smiled.

"It's Yusei!" Leo cried with delighted surprise.

Yusei Fudo's black, yellow-streaked hair spiked back up as he took of his helmet, and his intelligent blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he smiled at Akiza. She smiled back, feeling her cheeks go pink.

"Hi, Yusei," she said happily.

"Hey, Akiza. Hi, Luna and Leo."

"Hey, Yusei!" Luna said cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"And why do you have Crow's runner?" Leo asked curiously."I'm here because I got a call from your dad, Akiza," Yusei answered, pulling an extra helmet out of a compartment on the runner and tossing it to the rose duelist. "He asked me to give you a ride home."

"He did?" Akiza asked in surprise.

Yusei just nodded. That's one of the things Akiza found interesting about Yusei; he never said too much.

"But why didn't you just use your own runner?" Leo asked, looking up at Yusei. "Why are you using Crow's?"

"Yeah, doesn't he need it for work?" asked Luna.

"Crow finished his deliveries early today, so he let me borrow his runner. It's easier to carry passengers on this one."

"Oh, I knew that," Leo said, smiling goofily. "So, does this mean that you guys are still coming over to our place tonight? Cause I could use some help on my duel board too, Yusei."

"As far as I know, we are," replied Yusei.

"It looks like it," Akiza said with a smile.

"Alright!" Leo yelled, pumping his fist. "I'd better go get my room cleaned up then. See ya, Yusei! Bye, Akiza!"

"See you guys tonight!" Luna called as she ran after her brother, disappearing into the crowd.

"So, are you ready to go, Akiza?" Yusei asked, putting his helmet back on and starting the engine.

"Yes, I'm ready," Akiza replied. She pulled on the spare helmet and climbed onto the runner behind Yusei.

"Hold on tight!" Yusei shouted over the roar of the engine. Akiza felt her face get hot again as she wrapped her arms around his waist, but she was glad she did as Yusei shot off away from the school and merged in with the oncoming traffic.

As Akiza watched the city whip past her, she remembered her first time on a duel runner. Yusei was being kidnapped at the time, and he was trapped in the back of a moving van. Akiza came to his rescue (for once!), and they both ended up escaping on his runner. She could still remember how she had refused to get on at first, but somehow, Yusei had convinced her that it was the only way. Then they ran into Sherry, the first female turbo duelist that Akiza had ever met. Sherry forced Yusei into a turbo duel, and Akiza decided to stay with Yusei and watch the duel up close; it had felt like something that she needed to see. Akiza remembered the excitement and wonder she had felt as she got her first taste of the turbo dueling world. She remembered Sherry telling her that turbo duelists, through the wind and speed of the duel, came to know and understand each other's hearts, their pain and anger, their deepest wishes and desires, and, most of all, their motivation for dueling. After that first look into the world of riding duels, Akiza was hooked. She wanted to understand this world better, to know more about it, and to be a part of after that, with Yusei's help, she got her license and became a turbo duelist.

But Akiza had never told him the most important reason for which she had wanted to become a turbo duelist. She wanted not only to understand turbo dueling itself, but she had wanted to understand Yusei better. She wanted to know him better.

She had wanted to be closer to him.

It was Yusei Fudo who had reached out to her in her days as the Black Rose. He had shown her the true meanings of friendship and trust when she thought the world was full of nothing but hate and pain. He was the only one who was able to wake her from her coma after her first duel with the Dark Signer, Misty. He had helped bring her family back together. He had helped to reveal the true purpose of the Arcadia Movement. It was his voice that had called to her when she was trapped under Sayer's control. Yusei had saved her, not only from Sayer, but from herself. He had removed the mask she had been hiding behind for years. This list could go on and on forever!

But most of all, Yusei had been her first true friend.

Akiza hadn't realized it at first, but she had been in love with Yusei ever since they had first met; it was the whole "Love at First Sight" deal. When they had first looked each other in the eye all those months ago, she had felt a spark between them. She had sensed something different in him; different from Sayer, from her father, from any other man she had ever met. In his shockingly blue eyes, she had seen kindness and mercy, selflessness and caring. But she had also seen mystery and confusion, and hints of a troubled past. She had been both surprised and scared her, but at the same time, she was intrigued about the way they had connected right on the spot. Had he seen anything in her eyes the way she had looked into his? Had he felt the same things she had felt? Had he recognized her as the Black Rose from the night he had seen her duel? Did he think that she was a witch, just like everyone else?

So many questions had gone through her mind in those few seconds their eyes had met, and she hadn't known the answers to any of them. But one thing was for sure: there was more to Yusei Fudo than his criminal mark and his skill on a duel runner.

At first, Akiza had refused to trust him. What she had sensed in him, though she would never admit it, had frightened her. She did not know what it was or what it meant, so she resorted herself to hating him and his Crimson Dragon mark. Sayer had said not to trust those with a mark like hers, and, back then, his word had been law to her. But, after their first duel during the Fortune Cup tournament, she was even more surprised by him. He had really fought for her and really tried to help her. No one, not even Sayer, had ever done anything like that for her. For the first time in years, he had removed the mask she had been hiding behind for years and showed her that there was still good in the world. He hadn't seen her as a dangerous witch, but as a normal person who needed a good friend. Akiza had left that arena that day more confused and amazed by him than before.

For days after that, Akiza had found her mind distracted. It became hard for her to focus, and she began struggling in her training. Sayer had noticed, of course, and he had approached her about it. Sayer knew her better than anyone, and he didn't need her to tell him that Yusei was the distraction. He greatly discouraged this, but Akiza couldn't help it. Yusei had reached out to her when she had thought the whole world was against her. Despite herself, she had wanted to get to know him better. To understand him. To find out what made him tick.

Soon after that, Akiza had her first encounter with the Dark Signers. Misty's accusations during their duel had cut her to the core. That, plus losing Sayer to the shadows and seeing her father for the first time in years, had brought her down to her knees in even more pain and anger. She had dueled Yusei again, hurting both him and her family as she tried to finally get them out of her life. She had told Yusei that she couldn't be saved. She had felt that, without Sayer, she was completely alone in the world. But Yusei had proved her wrong. Once again, he showed her the strength of bonds and friendship. He, along with her father, had brought her back from that terrible state of hatred and agony. After that duel, Akiza finally accepted Yusei, her family, and her place as a Signer.

She had still struggled, though; especially during her second duel with Misty. The thought that she had been responsible for the death of Misty's brother had brought back some of her old pain and doubt. Then Sayer had showed up again, making things even worse by unleashed her powers against her will, bringing her under his control. He had brought the Black Rose back out of her, and, for a moment, she had forgotten who she truly was. But, once again, Yusei came to her rescue. It still amazed Akiza how Yusei had been able to call her out Sayer's spell when no one else could. How had he done it? Akiza never fully understood how he did it, but now she thought that it was just who Yusei was. He was the type of person that could bring out the best in others, reveal truths to them that they had never even considered before.

Soon after that, Yusei, along with Jack and Crow, dueled and defeated Goodwin, ending the powers of Darkness forever and saving those who had been taken by the Dark Signers. Akiza's friendship with Yusei grew stronger as days... weeks... months passed. With it, Akiza's feelings toward Yusei also flourished, growing stronger with each passing day. The more she learned about him, about his interests, his hobbies, and even his theories about life and friendship, the more she fell in love with him. She had thought that she knew Yusei like the back of her hand.

Until the day he had dueled Sherry.

After that duel, Akiza had wanted to have a better understanding of the world of riding duels - the world Yusei took such a big part of. She wanted to see and feel the same things: the speed, the rush of the wind, the adrenaline. So, she decided that she would acquire a license.

It hadn't been easy, of course. Akiza had known that it would be a challenge; she had so many bruises and sore spots after those first few classes that she was still sore weeks afterward. But Yusei, as always, was right there to help her out. He gave her pointers and tips, he coached her as she practiced, and he came and supported her during her classes. She still remembered when he had taken her to the skating rink to teach her balance. It had been their first date...

_No!_ Akiza thought to herself. _Bad Akiza! That was not a date! It was just for practice. No one had called it a date._

But it had really felt like a date. The atmosphere was full of fun and laughter, and she had enjoyed it immensely. Could it have been something that had gone unsaid, something unofficial? Akiza remembered when she had first tried to move in her roller blades, and ended up falling against Yusei chest, right into his arms... They had been so close, and the expression on Yusei's face... he had always been hard to read, but she could have sworn that she had seen something in those piercing-but-calm blue eyes that she had never seen before...

_Oh, stop it Akiza_, she thought bitterly as Yusei approached her house. _You're getting ahead of yourself. You should know better than that._

"Ok, we're here," Yusei said as he turned off the engine and pulled of his helmet. Akiza loosened her hold on Yusei and climbed off the bike, giving him back the spare helmet.

"Thanks for the ride, Yusei," She said with a polite smile. "I really appreciated it."

"No problem, Akiza," Yusei replied. Akiza expected him to pull out of the driveway and leave, but instead, he climbed of the bike as well.

"So your dad told me that you had a problem with your bike," he said. Akiza recognized his business face (the expression he had whenever there was something to be fixed).

"Yeah," Akiza replied sheepishly, feeling stupid for breaking her runner so soon after getting it. "I'm not sure what's wrong with it. The engine makes a funny noise when I start it, and it doesn't go when I try to ride it."

"What kind of a noise is it making?"

"It's a kind of rattling noise. It sounds like something's loose in the engine. We were going to take it to a shop to get fixed."

"Maybe I could come take a look at it." Yusei offered.

"Oh, that's okay, you don't have to," said Akiza, waving away his offer. "I'm sure you're busy with preparations for the WRGP. I don't want to be a bother."

"It's no bother," Yusei replied, grinning at the thought of a challenge. "Really, it's not. I just need to go back to the garage and get my tool box. Crow wanted his runner back ASAP, anyway. Plus, I'll do it free of charge."

"Yusei, I couldn't let you do that!" Akiza cried.

"Akiza, I designed that runner; I know it like the back of my hand. It'll only take a few minutes to find the problem and fix it. You'll save time and money."

"But I can't let you do it for free! I have to pay you somehow."

"Don't be ridiculous, Akiza. What are friends for?" He smiled. That smile... it practically made Akiza's heart melt. It was difficult for her to maintain a straight face.

"Are you sure?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Absolutely," Yusei confirmed. He pulled his helmet back on and clambered on Crow's runner. "I'll just go grab my tool box and give Crow back his runner. I'll be back in 10 minutes tops."

"Ok, Yusei," Akiza sighed. "See you in a bit,"

Yusei nodded to her and pulled out of the driveway, heading back to the garage where he lived with Jack and Crow.

_He's so stubborn sometimes_, Akiza thought, shaking her head as she watched him leave. But she smiled. _And he's so willing to help his friends. I'm very glad that I can call him my friend._

Akiza walked back to the house and went up to her room to changed from her duel academy uniform to her usual clothes. After changing, she skipped back down the stairs and into the kitchen to get a quick snack. She hummed to herself as she grabbed an apple from the fridge and poured herself a glass of water.

"What are you so happy about?" a female voice asked from behind her.

Akiza turned and saw her mother coming in from the living room. The woman smiled brightly at her daughter as she approached her. She was wearing an apron over her house dress, and a broom was in her hand; apparently, she had just been cleaning. Akiza strongly resembled her mother. They had the same shade of dark red hair, even though they both wore it differently: Akiza's hair was short, about chin-length, except for her bangs, which went down to her elbows, although she kept most of it rolled up in her hair pin that she used to stabilize her powers, while Mrs. Izinski's hair was long, about waist length, with short bangs in the front that framed her face. They both had the same fair skin, the same face shape, the same petite, agile figure (although Mrs. Izinski wasn't as agile as she used to be), and the same shade of golden brown eyes. However, Mrs. Izinski's age was finally starting to show. There were laugh lines on her face, and her eyes crinkled a little at the corners when she smiled, and her hair was duller, with a few strands of gray beginning to show. But she still had the spirit of a much younger woman, and Akiza loved everything about her.

Akiza smiled back at her mother, happy to see her. During her time at home, Akiza had gotten to know her mother a lot better than she had when she was a little girl. They were now like best friends, a relationship she had never imagined she could have with her mother. But she wasn't complaining; after so many years of thinking that her parents didn't care about her or want her around, Akiza was very happy with the new relationship she had with her mother.

"No reason," Akiza said, leaning back against the counter, taking a bite out of her apple. "I guess I'm just in a good mood."

"Oh, are you?" Mrs. Izinski asked with a knowing smile. She leaned the broom against the door leading to the entryway and wiped her hands on her apron. "Is there a particular reason why?"

Akiza just shrugged, not liking the smile on her mother's face. That was the one problem with her mother: she could be a bit nosy.

"Your dad called. He told me that you were getting a ride home from Yusei today," Mrs. Izinski said simply as she pulled on a pair of gloves and began washing dishes.

"Mm-hmm," was all that Akiza said, taking another bite of apple and looking at her mom curiously. Where was she going with this?

"So," her mother pressed, "how was it?"

Akiza swallowed her apple and pondered her question. "It was fine, I guess," she finally answered. "I'm used to riding duel runners now, so it wasn't anything different than usual."

"Oh really?" Her mom asked inquiringly, as if looking for more information.

"Yes, really," Akiza answered, starting to get annoyed. She grabbed her water and started to head out of the kitchen, saying, "I think I'm going to go to my room and start on my homework."

She was almost out of the kitchen when her mother called, "So have you asked Yusei to take you to prom yet?"

"WHAT?" Akiza whirled around, forgetting about the broom her mom had left in the doorway and knocking her legs against it. She lost her balance and fell backwards, getting her legs tangled in the broom handle and spilling water all over herself. Before she knew it, Akiza was flat on her back with her hair, face, and the front of her shirt soaked with water.

"Akiza! Are you okay?" Her mother cried, rushing over to help her daughter. Akiza kicked the broom away and allowed her mother to help her up. She didn't answer her question, however; instead, she asked one of her own.

"What makes you think I would ask _Yusei _to the _PROM_?" She nearly shouted as she rung water out of her bangs.

"I just thought that you liked him, that's all," Mrs. Izinski answered, grabbing a dish towel from the counter and helping to wipe up the water.

"I-I do! I mean, we're just friends! I mean-"

Mrs. Izinski chuckled. "Oh, my sweet little rose, it's okay! I understand how you feel. Everyone goes through their first crush at some point in their life time. I was no different when I met your father."

"But... but..." Akiza stammered. Then she finally gave up, lowering her head and refusing to meet her mother's gaze.

"Am I really that obvious?" she whispered, afraid of the answer.

"Oh, sweetheart," Akiza's mother said soothingly as she lead her daughter to the living room, setting her down on the couch. "No, you're not obvious. I just know you so well that I can tell."

"But mom, if you noticed, than others must have-"

"Honey, it's nothing to be ashamed of!" Mrs. Izinski declared, sitting down next to her daughter and turning her face towards her. "It's only natural that you would like Yusei. I mean, looking at everything he's done for you... not to mention he isn't very hard to look at, either."

"Mother!" Akiza gasped.

"I'm just stating the facts, sweetie." Mrs. Izinski said with a shrug, smoothing her daughter's hair. Akiza leaned back into the cushions, her arms folded across her chest.

"But, Mom, I can't ask Yusei to prom," Akiza stated.

"Why not?"

"I just don't go to things like dances and proms. It's not really my thing."

"'Your thing'?""Yeah. I'm not that kind of a girl, mom: I don't care about trying to look pretty, or impress guys, or gossip, or being popular, or any of that typical teenage girl stuff. And I definitely don't care about going to dances. All I need to be happy is my deck, my family and my friends. And besides, why would Yusei want to take me to prom? What if he says no?"

"Why on Earth would he say no?" Akiza's mom inquired. "You two share something special. You're one of his best friends!"

"That's another thing!" Akiza sat up and turned towards her mother. "What if we start dating, and then something happens and we break up? I don't want to lose his friendship! It's one of the most precious things I have right now, and I don't know what I would do without him! I don't want to mess things up between us. I couldn't bear to lose him."

"Sweetheart, I've seen the way Yusei looks at you, and the way he smiles when you two are together," Mrs. Izinski answered, brushing her fingers against her daughter's cheek. "If you ask me, I think he's crazy about you."

"Really?" Akiza inquired, taking her mothers hand and looking her directly in the eye. "Do you really, truly think so?"

"Yes, my little rose, I do," She answered with sincerity. "You don't have to take my word for it, but I've always had a good understanding of the minds of men." When Akiza raised her eyebrows at her, she continued, "Really! Believe it or not, a long time ago, I was one of those boy-crazy teenage girls in high school. Just ask your father."

Akiza continued to stare, trying to find any trace of a lie or a doubt in her mother's eyes. When she was satisfied that her mother meant what she said, she relaxed.

"I don't know," Akiza said, still uncertain. She sat forward, her elbows on her knees, her chin in her hands. "I've never gone to anything like this... except for the opening of the WRGP. But the prom is different. It's just not my place."

"You'll never know until you try, Akiza," Her mother said, patting her daughter's shoulder. "And your place doesn't have to be in a duel arena. You can go out and have fun and experience new things. It's okay to let go every once in a while."

Akiza furrowed her eyebrows, thinking. What would happen if she asked Yusei to the prom? It couldn't hurt to at least ask. They could go together just as friends. It didn't have to be a date, if that made Yusei feel uncomfortable. But then again, what if... just what if... Yusei would want it to be a date? What if her mother was right, and Yusei did like her? Would they be able to risk their friendship? Would it be worth it?

Then her mind flashed back to everything they had been through. Every time Yusei had been there for her. Everything he had gone through to help her and protect her. She recalled every smile... every touch... every helping hand. And in that moment, she knew it would be worth it.

"Ok," She finally said, sitting up and looking at her mom, her brown eyes full of determination. "I'll do it. I'll ask Yusei to be my date for prom."

* * *

><p>Yusei Fudo zoomed down the freeway on Crow's runner. He could hear the wind whistling around him as he cut through the air like a knife, and he could feel the rush of speed as he passed through the busy traffic of the city (that was something Yusei actually missed about living in the Satellite: the space and the lack of crowds). But his mind wasn't as focused on these things as it usually was, and it wasn't just because he was used to them. Only part of his brain focused on the ride; the larger part was thinking about Akiza.<p>

He had known that there was something special about her since they first met. When they had first looked each other in the eye, he had seen something in her that he couldn't quite place. There was darkness and pain, sure signs of a past much more difficult than his had been, but behind that anger there was light and hope, though it was very dim. Yusei had known immediately that she was the Black Rose, and possibly a Signer. He had also known that she was a troubled soul seeking guidance and light, no matter how much she had denied it. There was a kindness in her that had been hidden for a long time, buried under the pain of her past. Yusei knew that it was his duty, not only as a fellow Signer, but as a fellow duelist and a fellow human being, to be her friend, to help her, to protect her, and to be there for her when she needed a friend.

So he fought for her. He fought, and he fought, and he never gave up on her, even when everyone, including Akiza herself, had given up. No one had understood why it was so important to him. At times Yusei himself hadn't understood why her happiness meant so much to him. But now, after everything they had been through together, after so many months of being close friends, he thought he understood.

Yusei was crushing - BIG TIME - on Akiza Izinski.

The change Yusei had seen blossom in her during these past months was tremendous. She had gone from being the Black Rose to being a true, caring friend. She could control her powers and her emotions now. The mask was gone, and that light Yusei had seen buried inside her now shone bright and clear whenever he looked into her amazing brown eyes. She was kind and gentle, but still as strong and courageous as she had ever been. She never backed down from a challenge. When she found something she wanted, she went for it with all her might and she never gave up on it. She had proved that when she had decided to get her turbo dueling license. Yusei looked back on those long hours of coaching and training, and he remembered them as some of the best moments in his life. Building her duel runner had been one of Yusei's favorite projects. One moment that stood out particularly to Yusei was when he took her to the skate park for the first time. Their first date...

Yusei shook his head. _Knock it off, Yusei! That was not a date. That was practice. Training, just like everything else had been. _

But he couldn't help but relive when Akiza had fallen into him on her first attempt at skating. He remembered the feel of her in his arms; the look in her eyes when their faces had been so close... there had been something there that hadn't been there before, something that she had never shown, even though it had obviously been there for a long time... Yusei couldn't help but wonder if she had seen that same something in him, because he had a funny feeling that his expression had mirrored hers...

_**BEEEEEEEEEEP**_

Yusei was awoken from his thoughts to see a big truck coming right at him. Yusei cried out and swerved sharply back into his lane, just barely avoiding a very painful wreck. He shook himself as the truck driver leaned out the window and started cursing at him. Yusei shouted an apology and continued his journey, focusing more on the road.

A few minutes later, he pulled into the garage that he, Jack, and Crow called home and hopped of the runner. Crow and Jack were sitting in their make-shift kitchen at the table; Jack was sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper, and Crow was looking through his deck, most likely thinking of new dueling strategies. They both looked up and Yusei entered.

"About time you got here, Yus!" Crow said, leaning back in his chair. "I was beginning to worry. I thought something might have happened to my runner."

Yusei smiled and decided not to tell Crow about the incident with the truck as he pounded fists with him.

"I just came to bring your runner back, Crow," Yusei told his friend, walking over to the fridge and pouring himself a glass of milk. "I'll be going back to Akiza's house in a bit."

"And why is that?" Jack asked, looking up from his paper and raising an eyebrow.

"Something's wrong with her runner, and I offered to fix it."

"Oh, reeeally?" Crow asked mischievously. Yusei looked at him over the top of his glass.

"Yes, really. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just thought you might have other reasons for wanting to go to Akiza's house."

Yusei put his glass down and folded his arms across his chest, leaning against the counter. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

Jack scoffed. "Oh, sure you don't, Yusei. Do you really think we're that stupid?"

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Have you asked Akiza to the prom yet?" Crow blurt out, a huge grin spreading across his marked face.

"WHAT?" Yusei yelled, his eyes widening.

"Oh, come on, Yus, you know what I'm talking about," Crow said. He got off the chair and stood before his stunned friend, still smiling goofily. "The Academy is hosting a prom. Aren't you going to ask Akiza to be your date?"

Yusei's heart was hammering. "How did you guys know about that?"

Jack folded his paper and tossed it at him without even looking. Yusei caught it and opened it, and on the front page, just below a big story about the WRGP, there was an article about the Duel Academy hosting it's first prom in almost twenty years. It was designed to bring the youth of New Domino City and the Satellite together. Like many other things, it was celebrating the union of the two cities, now connected by the Daedalus Bridge, which Yusei, along with Crow and Jack, had helped to build. The article said the school was inviting all teens and adults, even those who didn't attend the Academy, to come.

"So?" Crow pressed, looking at Yusei eagerly. "Are you taking Akiza or what?"

Yusei shook his head, not in answer, but in bewilderment. He hadn't felt this surprised since Martha pulled the "Maybe you and Akiza will go on a date" stunt when Akiza was hospitalized after her first duel with Misty. In fact, he had been considering asking Akiza to the prom, but he would never, ever admit these feelings to his friends. They would never let him hear the end of it.

"Don't be crazy, Crow," Yusei finally answered, laying the paper aside and folding his arms across his chest.

Crow punched Yusei lightly in the shoulder, "Come on, Yus, we all now that you like Akiza! How long is it gonna be before you finally break the ice?"

Yusei blinked. _Am I that obvious?_"Don't be stupid, Crow," Yusei said, but his shaky voice betrayed him. Crow snickered, but Jack finally got up and stood before Yusei, arms folded, his violet eyes dark and glaring.

"No, Yusei, don't _you_ be stupid," He said forcefully. "Don't go acting like we're blind idiots, okay? We're your closest friends. We're practically your brothers. We know you inside and out and whether you like it or not, you can't hide your feelings from us."

"And besides, did you see the theme for the prom?" Crow chimed in, grabbing the paper and pointing at the article. "Rose Garden! It couldn't be more perfect for your first official date!"

"But- But-" Yusei could feel his composure slipping. "Why on Earth would Akiza want to-"

"Of course she would want to!" Crow cried, his gray eyes bright with excitement. "Why wouldn't she? You guys have something special. You should see what you guys are like together from our point of view. It's awesome! It's obvious that the two of you were meant to be!"

"Don't be so dramatic," Yusei muttered as he walked passed them and out of the kitchen. Crow and Jack followed him as Yusei began gathering his tools and shoving them in his tool box.

"Crow's right, Yusei," Jack said. "You and Akiza share a special bond. You can't seriously let an opportunity like this slip by!"

"And besides," Crow said, giving Jack a mischievous look, "Jack's finally going get up the courage to ask Carly, so you and Akiza can keep them company. It'll be a double date! Isn't that right, Jack?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Jack yelled, grabbing Crow by the front of his shirt and lifting him into the air. If anyone other than Crow had been picked up by an angry Jack Atlas, they would be terrified. But Crow, who got this kind of treatment on a daily basis, just smirked under Jack's dangerous glare. Yusei debated on whether or not he should intervene, but he decided not to get involved this time; Crow had asked for it.

"Ooookaay," said Yusei, picking up his tool box and pushing his runner outside. "I'll catch you guys later."

His two friends didn't say anything as Yusei left the garage. As he rode back to Akiza's house, he couldn't help but think about what they had said. Maybe he should take Akiza to the prom. Despite what he had said, Yusei really, really, really liked her. It would be a good opportunity, as Jack had said, and he shouldn't let it just slip away.

But then again, what if Akiza refused him? What if it ruined their friendship? Could he risk that? Should he risk that?

Suddenly, Yusei's mind flashed back to everything he had been through with Akiza. The first time he saw her. Their first duel. Everything that happened with the Dark Signers. His kidnapping. Her training to be a turbo duelist. Them at the skate park. Her falling into his arms and looking up at him with that peculiar expression in her eyes...

"I'll do it," Yusei told himself out loud. "I'll ask Akiza to prom."


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 – The Question**

Akiza was in her garage with her duel runner when Yusei came up the drive. As he hopped off his runner, his tool box in hand, and started toward her, Akiza took a deep breath. She tried to recall everything she was going to say to him that would lead to the prom. _Here goes everything_ she thought.

As she watched Yusei approach, she found herself admiring his good looks. That wasn't the most important thing about him, of course, and Akiza was more attracted to who he was on the inside, but there were times like these when she couldn't help but appreciate how handsome he really was. As he walked toward her, everything seemed to shift into slow motion, like on cheesy TV shows. He was lean and a little skinny, but well built, and he was a little smaller than most people his age, though taller than Akiza. Only those that really knew him knew that he was much stronger than he looked. He wore a long-sleeved blue jacket with orange gems on the high collar, shoulders, and elbows over a sleeveless black t-shirt with a red symbol on the front, gray gloves that went just below his elbows, black jeans with orange knee pads, and brown boots. He had a yellow criminal mark over his left eye and cheek, but didn't take away from his handsome face. His raven-black hair was streaked with yellow highlights that spiked up at an angle, always making him look like he had just gotten off his Duel Runner (which usually was the case anyway). His long, dark bangs hung down in front of his eyes and framed his sharp features. The things Akiza liked most about Yusei Fudo's appearance were his eyes and his smile. Even as she watched him, she saw the sharp panes of Yusei's face brighten up and soften, going from serious to happy in an instant. His thin lips pulled up and smiled his shy, kind smile that made Akiza's heart skip a beat. His eyes, the color of the deep sea, were piercing and clear and intelligent, but at the same time calming and sincere. Akiza was accustomed to seeing Yusei through his eyes, and she was good at reading them and seeing what he was feeling at the moment. As Akiza looked into them now, she could see determination and excitement, but also anxiety and anticipation, like he was preparing himself for something. Akiza wondered what he was so nervous about, but couldn't think about it for very long; her hands had started shaking as her own nervousness made it hard for her to focus.

"Wow," Akiza said, trying to sound cheerful and relaxed as she stood up to meet Yusei, her arms folded across her chest and a playful smile on her lips. "You weren't kidding when you said you would be back in less than ten minutes."

Yusei smiled shrugged. "I would have been back sooner if Jack and Crow hadn't started talking."

"I thought your timing was perfect. But just out of curiosity, what were they talking about?"

Yusei's eyes darted around the room, looking anywhere but at Akiza. "The WRGP mostly. They wanted to do some more test runs on the new engine later."

"Oh. Okay," Akiza said, but she frowned as she said it; Yusei was a terrible liar, especially when it came to his friends. But Akiza couldn't recall any time that he had tried to lie to her. What was he hiding?

Yusei cleared his throat and set his tool box down next to Akiza's runner.

"So, shall we get started?" He asked as he pulled his gloves off of his hands and shrugged off his jacket, revealing his well-muscled arms, built strong after many years of working with machines and roughing it in Satellite.

"Sure," Akiza replied. She pulled over a stool and sat down a little ways away to watch Yusei work, but Yusei chuckled softly.

"Oh, no you don't," he said, grabbing Akiza's wrist and pulling her down next to him. "You're going to help me fix this."

"_What?_" Akiza yelped incredulously, pulling her hand free. "You're kidding me, right? You can't be serious."

"You're a turbo duelist now, Akiza," Yusei said with a wry smile as he opened his tool box and started taking out wrenches, pliers, welding torches, and other complicated-looking tools. "You need to learn how to care for and maintain your own duel runner. I won't always be available to come fix it, you know."

"But, Yusei, I don't know anything about mechanics!" Akiza protested. "I'm not a grease monkey like you and Jack and Crow."

Yusei laughed at her remark. "Well, now's as good a time to learn as any. Don't worry, I'll help."

Akiza was still a little apprehensive, but she sighed and knelt beside Yusei, pulling off her own black gloves. "Fine. What do I do first?"

Yusei began showing Akiza how to remove the pieces of her runner, telling her what they were called and how they worked. He also explained what the tools were and how to use them. Akiza absorbed everything he said into her brain and tried to commit it to memory. Yusei had to show her how to do a few things, but she eventually got the hang of it. Soon, they were both talking and laughing freely as they worked.

Later on, Akiza's mother poked her head through the door to check in on the turbo duelists. The two teens were so focused on their task that they didn't notice. Mrs. Izinski watched them silently, a small smile on her face.

_They look so perfect together_ she thought. _So happy. They would make a fantastic couple. _She couldn't help but tear up as she thought about how much her little girl has grown up. She had gone through so much, most of it the fault of her parents, Mrs. Izinski was ashamed to admit, but it made Akiza's mom very happy to see how happy she was now with Yusei.

Quickly wiping her tears away, Mrs. Izinski straightened up and knocked on the door. Akiza and Yusei stopped their work and looked up at her as she walked in with a tray of chocolate-chip cookies and two glasses milk.

"I thought you two might want a snack while you work," she said, setting the tray down on a stool.

"Thanks mom!" Akiza said brightly.

"Yeah, thanks Mrs. Izinski," Yusei echoed. Mrs. Izinski smiled at the two of them and then gave Akiza a meaningful look.

_Did you ask him yet? _The look asked.

_No, mother, could you please leave now? _Akiza's face answered back.

Mrs. Izinski understood and left the room, closing the door behind her. Fortunately, Yusei missed the exchanged as he looked curiously at the cookies.

"No offense or anything," Yusei began, "but since when does your mom cook?"

Akiza laughed. "I'm not offended. She actually cooks a lot. She's really good, too... or she is now, since she took cooking classes."

"Huh. Your mom just never struck me as the type to be in the kitchen all day."

"Why? Because she's the wife of a senator?" Akiza laughed again.

Yusei looked apologetic. "Yeah, I guess so."

"It's okay, a lot of people have told me that. It's just a stereotype the families of politicians have."

"But why did she take classes?"

"I really don't know." Akiza looked at the closed door through which her mother had disappeared. "I guess she's trying to make up for lost time and enjoy being a mom. She wasn't always like this, you know. Before I left home, she fit the stereotype more, letting servants do the cooking and cleaning and focusing more on fashion and publicity than being a parent. But when I came back, she released all of the maids and started doing the cooking and cleaning herself. She also started paying more attention to me. I'm not complaining, though; We're closer now than we ever were when I was a little girl, and I've really learned to appreciate her."

"Wow," Yusei said softly. Akiza looked up at him and saw glowing warmth in his eyes. "That's really cool."

"Yeah, I suppose it is," Akiza replied with a soft smile. Yusei's eyes became sad and distant, and Akiza had a feeling that he was thinking of his own mother. Mrs. Fudo, along with her husband, had died when the Ener-D Reactor went haywire and split New Domino City in two. Akiza felt a pang of sorrow for him and his loss, and she took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'm sorry you never knew your parents, Yusei," she said softly.

Yusei wouldn't meet her eyes, but he squeezed her hand back and muttered, "It's not your fault. I'm okay."

There was a long moment of silence before Yusei took a deep breath and lifted his head, gently pulling his hand away. "So, what do you say?" He asked as he wiped the oil and grease off his hands with a rag. "Shall we take this last piece off and then take a break?"

"Sure," Akiza said, her heart beginning to speed up. A break would be the perfect time to ask about prom. But how should she approach the subject?

"Okay," Yusei continued, thinking the same thing she was. Trying not to let his feelings show, he handed Akiza a wrench. "Just remove these four bolts, and then this piece will come off and reveal the engine. After that, we should be able to identify the problem and solve it."

Akiza nodded and got to work. She got the first three bolts off easily, but the fourth one was more difficult. Akiza tugged and pulled, but the bolt refused to loosen.

"This... one... just... won't... get... loose!" Akiza grunted.

"Here, let me help." Yusei reached around Akiza and grabbed the end of the wrench next to her hand. Together they pulled as hard as they could. The bolt suddenly popped loose, surprising them both and sending them flying back. Before either of the teens knew what had happened, Akiza was in Yusei's arms again. Her back was against his chest, she was practically in his lap, and their faces were barely inches apart.

Akiza felt her breath catch in her throat and Yusei swallowed hard. Brown eyes staring into blue as the garage became deathly silent. They both felt something spark between them like static electricity. It was just like it had been at the skate park. Akiza's breath grew shallow and loud in her ears, and Yusei's heart beat so hard that he feared Akiza would feel it against her back.

The silence in the garage stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Then both duelists laughed nervously and Akiza sat up, pushing herself away from Yusei. Yusei also sat up and picked up the wrench and the bolt.

_I cannot believe that just happened! _they both thought unanimously.

"Okay then," Yusei said, breaking the silence. "Why don't we get this piece off and get started on those cookies?"

"Um, yeah, sure. Cookies sound good," Akiza agreed, trying to calm her heart and regulate her breathing. She felt as though her brain had gone numb with shock. _Come on, Akiza, get a grip!_

_Come on, Yusei, keep it together!_ Yusei though as he removed the piece and set it down on a towel where the other pieces lay. He smiled at Akiza nervously, and then leaned over and grabbed a cookie off of the plate. He took a bite, and Akiza watched his expression as he chewed. Yusei seemed to think about the taste, and his eyes widened with surprise. Then his eyes closed and he moaned softly, chewing more slowly.

"Are you okay, Yusei?" Akiza asked, watching Yusei with a bemused expression.

"Your mom," Yusei answered, "makes the _best_ chocolate-chip cookies _ever!_"

Akiza laughed, relieved that the tension was gone. "Even better than Martha's?"

She had said it jokingly, but Yusei nodded, his mouth full of cookie. Akiza was surprised; they must be _really_ good to surpass Martha's cooking!

"I take it that you like them," Akiza laughed again, taking a cookie before Yusei ate them all. Yusei stared at her incredulously.

"Like them? Of course I don't _like_ them! I _LOVE_ them!" he crowed.

"I'm glad you like them, Yusei!" Mrs. Izinski called from inside the house. Both Yusei and Akiza doubled over laughing.

Soon the plate of cookies bore nothing but a few crumbs. After washing the cookies down with milk, Akiza and Yusei got back to work. They quickly identified the problem with the runner: A bolt on one of the pieces that held the engine in place had gotten lose, making the engine unstable. Akiza tightened the bolt, and then, with Yusei's help, she put the runner back together. When everything was back in place, they cleaned off the runner with a wet cloth, and it looked good as new.

"Thanks for all your help, Yusei," Akiza said, wiping oil and engine grease off of her hands and forearms.

"No problem," Yusei said as he put his tools away. They stood in silence for a minute, then Akiza spoke again.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"I have an idea," Yusei said, putting the plan he had been carefully formulating in his brain into action. "Why don't we clean up a bit and then go back to the skate park?"

"The skate park?" Akiza asked, her eyes widening with surprise. _What the heck..._

"Yeah," Yusei said casually. "We haven't been there in a while, and I thought it would be fun."

_It would also be the perfect place for me to ask her to the Prom. _Yusei thought with a smile._ The sight of our first date..._

_It was _not _a date!_ A voice in the back of Yusei's mind reminded him.

_It was close enough!_ He argued back. Then he thought, _Great. Now I'm arguing with myself. I must be going crazy._

"Um... sure. Why not?" Akiza asked, but she watched Yusei curiously as they entered the house to clean up. _Why does he suddenly want to go to the skate park?_ She wondered. _What's going on with him? He's been acting strange all afternoon..._

After telling her mom where they were going, Akiza went back outside with Yusei, and they both set off to the skate park. She stared out through her visor at the busy street, feeling her spirit soar as the city rushed past her in a blur. She pressed the accelerator and the runner surge forward until she was level with Yusei.

Sherry had been right; through the speed and wind, Akiza could feel Yusei's heart and emotions. He was getting excited about something; she could feel it building inside of him. But he was also nervous. He was questioning himself, but what on earth about? What was it that was making Yusei so anxious?

Then Yusei turned to look at her. As he smiled at her, she could feel something else enter his heart. Tenderness, friendship, trust, and... something else. Something that seemed really familiar, something that she recognized, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was...

Meanwhile, Yusei was experiencing the same thing. He could sense that Akiza was confused and curious because of his behavior, and Yusei silently cursed himself. Why couldn't he keep his cool? What was it about this girl that made him so crazy? He thought back on what had happened in the garage. She had fallen into him again... he wondered if she felt the same spark that he had... her face was so unreadable sometimes, but he had thought that he had seen that... that _something_ in her eyes again.

Akiza pulled up next to him on her runner. Little time had passed between now and when she acquired her license, but she already had as much skill on a runner as Yusei had. Yusei grinned at her, and he thought he saw and felt that same something in her eyes and heart... Darn it all, what was it? It was driving him nuts! Yusei could recognize it, it wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, but he couldn't find a name for it...

Yusei looked away again, not wanting to almost hit another truck in front of Akiza. They rode together in silence, but they still read each other's hearts and feelings, each trying to figure out what the other was thinking.

When they reached the skate park, the duelists found it just as crowded as the last time they had come. This was a rather popular place for kids and teens to come and have a good time, and it was filled with people that Akiza knew from the academy. She waved at a group of girls in her class that she knew fairly well, but they didn't wave back. They just stared at her with eyes as big and round as dinner plates. She saw their eyes dart from her to Yusei, she saw something like comprehension and excitement in their eyes, and she saw them all put their heads together and start whispering. Akiza just rolled her eyes, not caring about what they thought.

While Yusei went to get some roller skates for the both of them, Akiza sat down at a table. She watched the skaters in the rink, and noticed a lot of couples holding hands as they were skating. Akiza blushed. The last time she had come here with Yusei, Luna and Leo had been with them, and they had watched as Yusei helped Akiza out in the rink. She had noticed them talking, but hadn't really been paying attention to what they were saying. They had seemed to be discussing something... had they viewed her and Yusei the way she was viewing the couples around her?

"Hey, Akiza!" A voice called from behind her. Akiza turned to see the group of girls from earlier approaching her, looks of curiosity and excitement painted on their faces. She smiled kindly and greeted them as they sat down around her. There were four girls: Cora was the one who had called out, and she had short blonde hair and bright green eyes. Then there were two brunette sisters (twins like Luna and Leo) named Amanda and Abigail, and a red-head named Jamie.

"So, what are you doing here?" Cora asked, her eyes sparkling.

\"I'm just here with a friend," Akiza said casually.

"You mean tall, dark, and handsome over there?" Abigail asked, leaning forward and pointing over at Yusei, who was still waiting in line at the roller skate rental counter.

"His name is Yusei, but yeah, that's him," Akiza replied, raising an eyebrow at the girls. Tall, dark, and handsome? Sure it was true, but, come on, really?

"So that is Yusei Fudo?" Jamie asked breathlessly, as if she needed to be absolutely certain. "_The_ Yusei Fudo who beat Jack Atlas at the Fortune Cup?"

"Yeeeaaah," Akiza said slowly. Her eyebrow traveled farther up her forehead as all four girls leaned in closer to her.

"Well... are you two... you know... _dating_?" Amanda asked in a whisper as the other girls giggled.

Akiza had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She liked these girls, she even considered them friends, but they could be ridiculous at times. "No, we're just good friends. We've been friends for a while now."

The four girls looked at each other, and she could see that they didn't believe her.

"But you have feelings for him, don't you?" Cora pressed, eager for this newfound piece of gossip. "I mean, who couldn't? That guy makes _fire_ look cold!"

'_Makes fire look cold?'_ Akiza thought._ Seriously?_

Akiza wasn't sure how to answer that, but she knew that telling them the truth wasn't an option. So she just shrugged. But even that subtle of an answer made the girls gasp, and Akiza was soon buried under a truck load of questions.

"Does he go to the academy?"

"How old is he?"

"Have you ever ridden his runner?"

"How did he get that criminal mark?"

"Has he asked you to prom?"

"Is he really friends with Jack Atlas?"

"How did you two become friends?"

"Didn't you two duel each other at the Fortune Cup?"

"Is it true that he was responsible for that Crimson Dragon stuff that happened a while back?"

"What about Jack Atlas? Are you friends with him, too?"

"What about that hot delivery man, Crow Hogan? I heard he and Yusei were close friends."

"Did he really help with the construction of the Daedalus Bridge?"

"Have you seen that card of his, Stardust Dragon?"

"What about Jack?"

"_What about the prom?_"

"Hello, everyone."

All four girls jumped back and gasped as Yusei approached the table. Akiza turned and gave him a desperate look that screamed, '_Save me!'_

Yusei understood and quickly handed Akiza her roller blades. "Well, Akiza, are you ready to go?"

"Sure, Yusei, I'm ready," she said quickly, taking her roller blades and getting up from the table. "See you guys around," she told the other four girls.

"Okay, Akiza! Catch ya later!" Cora sang. But as soon as she and Yusei left, Akiza could hear the four girls whispering excitedly behind her back.

"What was that all about?" Yusei asked.

"Don't ask," Akiza groaned, sitting down at a bench close to the skating rink to pull on her roller blades. "They're just a bunch of academy girls who wanted to know all about the famous Yusei Fudo."

Yusei chuckled nervously. "Outstanding. I have a fan club. Jack will be pleased."

"Actually, the red-head, Jamie, seemed really interested in Jack. She kept asked if I knew him or you knew him."

Yusei laughed again. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm. It seems like Jack isn't forgotten after all."

"Then he really will be pleased."

"I don't know if Carly will be thought."

This time Akiza laughed with Yusei as she finished tying the laces on her roller blades. Yusei had already put his on, so she stood up and entered the skating rink with him. The two of them easily blended in with the mass of teenagers circling about the rink. A popular song started playing over the speakers, and Yusei took Akiza's hand as they skated around the rink, looking a lot like one of the couples Akiza had watched earlier. She smiled as the skated, enjoying the moment, and the feel of his hand wrapped around hers. It was so much like the last time they had come, except Akiza wasn't falling constantly this time, much to her relief. Yusei also smiled as he led her through the crowd, twirling her occasionally. It was like they were dancing. Akiza wondered if prom would be this easy. If they went to prom together, that is.

"Those girls are watching us again." Yusei commented, nodding towards the other end of the rink. Akiza turned and saw Cora, Jamie, Amanda and Abigail all leaning over the barrier, staring at them intently.

They waved when they saw Akiza looking, and although Akiza smiled back, she muttered through her teeth, "We have to get away from them!" Yusei laughed and lead them away from the group of girls.

Little did they know that the four girls weren't the only ones who were curious about them. A little ways away, two figures also leaned over the barrier with binoculars held up to their eyes, watching the pair intently. The tall blonde one was wearing his old disguise from back when he and Carly had gone to the amusement park. The shorter man was wearing a black leather jacket and a baseball cap to hide his conspicuous orange hair.

"Do you think he's asked her yet?" Crow whispered.

"I don't know. It's impossible to tell," Jack answered bluntly.

"What's taking him so long?" Crow muttered irritably, lowering the binoculars. "We all know that he's crazy about her. Why does he have to wait?"

"Don't be so impatient," Jack said. "Give him a bit of time. He'll ask soon enough."

"Since when do you counsel people about patience?" Crow laughed, giving him a teasing glance. "You're, like, the captain of impatient."

"That's not true!" Jack protested, glaring down at the other duelist. Crow turned so that his entire body was facing the blond duelist, his arms folded across his chest and his eyebrows raised. After a moment, Jack admitted defeat.

"Okay, I can be a little impatient at times. What's your point?"

Crow shrugged and raised the binoculars again. He found Yusei and Akiza in the center of the crowd, and he kept close tabs on them. They seemed to be talking and laughing, just like they usually do, but Crow couldn't help but notice how Yusei was holding Akiza; he had one hand around her waist and the other was holding her hand. And was that a blush he could see on Akiza's cheeks?

"So have you asked Carly to prom yet?" Crow asked Jack casually.

Jack lowered his binoculars slowly and gave the shorter boy a deadly look. "Do NOT make me beat you up in front of all these people, Crow. That would not be good for my image, not to mention your face. I have a rep to protect."

Crow snorted, lowering his own binoculars again and meeting his friend's gaze, real annoyance entering his tone. "Jack, I can tell that you care as much about Carly as Yusei cares about Akiza. Like you told Yusei, you can't hide your feelings from someone who's practically your brother. I know all about what happened between you two during the whole deal with the Dark Signers. Just swallow your pride and pop the question already! Be happy for once!"

Jack grunted turned away from the fiery-haired duelist, raising his binoculars to his eyes. Crow did the same, and the conversation died between them.

Meanwhile, Yusei asked Akiza, "So, just out of curiosity, what kind of questions did those girls ask?"

Akiza frowned. "Why do you want to know?"

"I was just wondering what they were saying about me."

"Why?" Akiza said, giving him a teasing glance, although her insides twisted slightly. "Do you have your eye on one of them or something?"

Yusei snorted. "Yeah right. Like I don't have someone better."

Akiza blushed, wondering what he meant by that. She suddenly became very aware of how Yusei was holding her; one hand still held hers, but the other was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to his side. Meanwhile, Yusei was inwardly cursing himself for blurting that out. _Come on, man, get a hold of your tongue before you say something really embarrassing!_

"Well, they wanted to know if you really helped to build the Daedalus Bridge, how we met, if we were friends, how you got your mark, yada yada yada... a bunch of silly questions."

"I see. And how did you respond?"

"Respond? Are you kidding? They barely left me any time to breathe!"

Yusei laughed and twirled Akiza around again. Her back was now against his left shoulder, and her arms were crossed in front of her as Yusei took both of her hands into his.

Yusei took a deep breath._ Okay, Yusei,_ he thought, mentally preparing himself. _This is as good a time as ever. Here it goes!_

"So," Yusei started, clearing his throat. "How has school been?"

"Okay, I guess," she replied hesitantly. She had felt him tensing up behind her. She looked up at him curiously, but his face betrayed nothing as he stared straight ahead.

"Any activities coming up soon?" Yusei tried to sound casual, but there was a slight tremor in his voice. He almost laughed at himself: He had faced terrifying duels, earthbound immortals, Dark Signers, The King of the Netherworld himself, the Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity, and many other horrible things. But at the challenge of asking the girl he loved to prom, he was close to chickening out. What was _wrong _with him?

"Well..." Akiza hesitated. _Here's the perfect opportunity!_ she thought. _Do it now!_

"There is... this big dance coming up..."

This is ridiculous. She's faced so many terrors and fears in her life, but when it came to asking the man she loved to prom, she was scared silly. What was _wrong_ with her?

"Oh, you mean the prom?" Yusei asked as they turned the corner. He tried to keep his composure, but he could feel beads of sweat trickling down his back.

"Did he say 'prom'?" Crow wondered out loud, trying to read the other boy's lips through the binoculars. "I think he said 'prom'! Do you think he said 'prom,' Jack?"

"I don't know, Crow, shut up!" Jack snapped, watching the pair intently.

"Yeah," Akiza answered Yusei back in the rink. "I mean prom..."

They both spoke at the exact same time.

"I actually wanted to ask you about that..."

They looked at each other in surprise.

"What the heck is going _on_ over there?" Crow asked hysterically, leaning dangerously over the barrier.

"Be careful, Crow, you're going to fall over!"

"Ladies first," Yusei said, starting to panic.

"No, you go first," Akiza insisted.

_Crap. Am I ready for this?_ Yusei wondered to himself. He pulled Akiza away from the stream of people and stopped near the barrier, a little ways away from where Crow and Jack were standing. He pulled Akiza around to face him and took both of her hands in his. Akiza gazed at him curiously, waiting for him to speak, her heart thundering beneath her ribs. Crow and Jack dropped their binoculars and leaned forward, listening and waiting.

Yusei closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, his eyes were set and determined. He looked Akiza directly in the eye, and said, "Akiza Izinski, will you give me the honor of taking you to prom?"

Akiza's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she stared at him in shock. Behind Yusei, Jack managed a triumphant smile, and Crow got so excited that he really did fall over the barrier. Behind Akiza, the four academy girls had snuck around just in time to hear Yusei ask the question, and they fell into a fit of giggles and excited whispers. Yusei and Akiza took no notice of this, and soon everyone was waiting for Akiza's answer.

"I... I..." Akiza stammered as everything suddenly became clear in her mind. This was why Yusei had been acting so peculiar! He'd been trying to ask her to prom! While at the same time, she had been doing the same thing! She felt like laughing, but her throat seemed to have tightened shut and she was unable to make a sound. Her brain went numb, and her heart, which had been beating so loudly before, suddenly seemed to have stopped.

"Um... Akiza?" Yusei asked, still looking at her, the hope draining from his eyes. "Are you... um... going to answer? Because if you don't want to, that's fine, I understand..."

_What are you doing you idiot? ANSWER HIM!_ Akiza's thoughts screamed. She shook her head clear of the numbness and got her voice back.

"Yes," She said breathlessly, nodding vigorously as lips slowly turned up in a wide smile and her face brightened up. Then she said again, stronger this time, "Yes... Yes! Yes, Yusei, I would love to go to prom with you!"

Yusei closed his eyes and smiled with relief, breathing out heavily. Akiza could literally see the tension leaving his body as he slumped forward, his bangs momentarily covering his eyes. The academy girls collapsed into fits of giggles again, and Jack and Crow gave each other a high five while the younger of the two did a little victory jig.

"Good! That's good! Great!" Yusei said, his smile growing wider as he spoke. He actually showed teeth in this smile, and his face glowed as bright as the sun. Akiza had never seen him look so happy. She giggled a very un-Akiza-ish, giggle and flung her arms around Yusei's neck, squeezing him tight. Yusei wrapped his arms around Akiza and hugged her back so enthusiastically that he lifted Akiza off of her feet and spun her around.

Unfortunately, when he had stopped spinning Akiza, Yusei looked up and saw two very familiar figures with black jackets, hats, and binoculars around their necks staring at them over the barrier.

"_Jack? Crow?_" Yusei shouted. Akiza released Yusei and spun around to face the two frozen boys.

"Uh oh," Jack and Crow said at the same time. Getting caught had not been part of their plan. The two boys could tell by Yusei's expression that they were in BIG trouble.

"'Uh oh' is right!" Yusei growled, starting towards them. Akiza tried to hold him back, but that proved to be difficult with roller skates. "Were you two _spying_ on us?"

"Crap," said Jack.

"Time to go!" Crow agreed, and the two of them sped out of the building as fast as they could.

"I don't believe them!" Yusei said, shaking his head. Akiza just laughed, feeling too happy to let anything spoil her mood.

"It's okay, Yusei, don't worry about them," she said, looking up into his incredibly handsome face. She could now guess what Yusei had really talked to his friends about when they had supposedly been discussing the WRGP.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll deal with them later," Yusei said, looking back down at the girl with a smile. "So, what was it that you wanted to ask about prom?"

This time, Akiza really did laugh, shaking her head with disbelief.

"What's so funny?" Yusei asked.

"Well, actually," Akiza chortled, "I was going to ask you to take me to prom, but you just did it for me."

"What?" Yusei asked, another grin spreading across his face. "Seriously?"

Akiza nodded, and Yusei burst out laughing. Akiza joined in, and once they started, they couldn't stop. Akiza leaned her head against Yusei's shoulder as they hugged again. Yusei buried his face in her magenta hair and sighed deeply. The two duelists stood like this for a long time, not caring about the people starting to stare, not caring about Jack and Crow or the academy girls, not caring about anything but each other.

Soon after that, Akiza and Yusei went their separate ways. Akiza returned home in a daze, still stunned by what had just occurred. The rose duelist pulled into the garage and pulled off her helmet, shaking her head to get rid of the helmet hair. Humming quietly to herself, Akiza danced into the house, through the kitchen, and into the living room where she fell on the couch with a content sigh, twirling her bangs around her finger.

_I'm going to prom, _her thoughts sang._ I'm going to prom with Yusei. Yusei's going to take me to prom..._

Akiza heard footsteps behind her and looked up to see her mother standing over her, an excited expression on her face.

"Am I right in assuming, by your behavior, that you asked Yusei to prom?"

"I didn't have to ask, Mom," Akiza said dreamily. "He asked me first." She giggled happily. "I'm going to prom with Yusei Fudo!"

A little farther away, Yusei entered the garage in a very similar state. He had never felt like this before. He felt so... blissful. Like he was floating away on big, fluffy white clouds without a care in the world. He didn't even care about how silly that sounded! He couldn't stop smiling as he entered the kitchen where Jack and Crow sat at their makeshift table, talking. They both looked nervous as Yusei approached them.

"We're sorry, Yus," Crow said immediately. "I know we shouldn't have spied on you, but we _really_ wanted to know if you were _finally_ going to ask her, and it was all Jack's idea..."

"_My_ idea?" Jack shouted, pounding his fist on the table. "It was not my idea, you bird-brained idiot! I couldn't care less about Yusei's business with girls!"

"You liar! I saw your expression when Akiza had accepted the invitation; you were as excited as I was..."

"Whatever," Yusei said contently, practically dancing as he passed his friends. "I was going to come home and tell both of you off, but I don't feel like it anymore. I'm too happy. And ya wanna know why?" He was halfway up the ladder that lead to their bedrooms when he turned and beamed at his two friends.

"Because I'm taking Akiza Izinski to prom!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Wow. Note to self: LEARN HOW TO WRITE SHORTER CHAPTERS! Sorry these are so long, but I'm not very good at keeping stories short; I'm a detail person!  
>Anyway, i just wanted to thank everyone for all the wonderful reviews I've been getting on this story! I'm very pleased to hear that you are all enjoying it, even though it's uber cheesy =P. Anyway, I don't think a story has much of a plot if there isn't more than one issue that the characters have to overcome. Yusei and Akiza have already conquered their fear of asking each other to prom; now they must each fight their own individual battles. Enjoy!<p>

_**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH 5DS OR THE CHARACTERS AND I DO NOT CLAIM ANY RIGHTS TO IT. THIS IS JUST MADE FOR FAN ENJOYMENT, AND NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED**_. I don't know if I have to do that on this sight, but just to be on the safe side! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: The Problem<strong>

The sun was setting over New Domino City, casting rays of bright orange and pink across the twilight sky. The beautiful sunset could be seen perfectly from the large windows in the penthouse apartment at The Tops. The occupants inside the apartment, however, were focused on other things.

Yusei Fudo, Jack Atlas, and Crow Hogan were making repairs on both Luna and Leo's duel boards, while Akiza Izinski was helping the twins with their academy homework. They had been working like this for a few hours, talking and laughing as they each completed their tasks.

Not everyone, however, was completely focused on what was going on. It was obvious to Jack, Crow, and the twins that Yusei and Akiza were distracted.

Akiza was staring down dreamily at her text book and notes, humming to herself. Luna had to snap the older girl back to the present several times; the latter would give a start and apologize, but would fall back into that same state a few minutes later. Leo had tried desperately to keep Yusei's attention with a hilarious story about his most recent practice duel at the academy, but the Signer's eyes kept drifting away from the green-haired boy. He would gaze dreamily into space, tapping his screwdriver against his knee to some unheard tune. Jack had already yelled at him a couple of times for not focusing on the duel boards, and even Crow had to tell him to get his head out of the clouds, but, like Akiza, Yusei would apologize and then do it again.

On top of that, no one could miss the secret glances and loving smiles that Yusei and Akiza passed between each other.

"Akiza, isn't the formula for the Pythagorean Theorem a²+b²=c²?" Luna asked, looking over her geometry notes with a befuddled expression.

"Yeah," Akiza answered. She was not even looking at her notes, but at Yusei, who was returning the glance with another one of his amazing smiles.

"But you wrote something different on here," The youngest signer pointed out.

"What?" Akiza said, glancing down at Luna's homework paper and seeing her mistake. "Oh! Wow, how did I do that?" She quickly erased the mistake. "Sorry Luna, I'm a bit distracted tonight."

"Hey, Yusei!" Leo called excitedly, turning to the lead Signer. "Guess what! Luna and I talked to our teacher in class today, and she said that there might be a duel boarding class so that other kids could experience riding duels! And she said the Luna and I could help instruct the class!"

"That's great, Leo," Yusei said half-heartedly, still lost in Akiza's eyes.

"She also wanted me to ask you if you could come into class sometime to show the class how the duel board works."

"That's great, Leo," Yusei repeated. He still wasn't paying any attention to the young duelist-in-training. Leo noticed this and raised an eyebrow at his role model.

"She also said that she wanted to you to wear a clown suit and do the Fudderwacken in front of the whole class."

"Fudder-_what_ now?" Crow laughed, looking up from the duel board with an amused expression on his face.

"A crazy dance that The Mad Hatter does in _Alice in Wonderland_." Luna explained from the table she was sitting at. "It's one of his favorite movies."

"That's great, Leo," Yusei said yet again, still looking at Akiza.

"Yusei, are you even paying attention to what I'm saying?" Leo cried. Yusei finally snapped out of it, looking at the green-haired boy in surprise.

"Um... something about duel boards and mad hats?"

"Yusei, what's up with you tonight?" Leo pouted, putting his fists on his hips. "Both you and Akiza have your heads _in_ Wonderland, by the looks of it! Both of you have been completely out of it all night!"

"Leo's right," Luna put in, looking at the two of them curiously. "Is there something going on that we don't know about?"

Crow had to stifle a laugh behind his hand as Yusei and Akiza both looked at each other and blushed. Neither knew how to answer Luna's question.

"Well, uh, sort of..."Akiza began, looking down at the floor.

"You see, we, um... uh..." Yusei tried to continue.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Jack muttered, slapping his hand against his forehead. Raising his voice, he yelled out, "Yusei is taking Akiza to the academy prom! There! Now everyone knows! Can we please get back to work?"

"_WHAAAAAAT?_" Leo cried, his eyes bugging out of his head.

"Really?" Luna asked excitedly, standing up and looking back and forth from Yusei to Akiza. "Is Jack telling the truth? Are you guys going to prom together?"

"Well, yeah," Akiza answered the girl. The rose duelist was blushing, but she had a small smile on her lips.

"Uh-huh," Yusei said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. He too was smiling, and trying his best to ignore Crow, who had busted up laughing just beside him.

"OH, MY, GOODNESS!" Luna squealed, clapping her hands and jumping up and down. "That's great! I am SO excited for you guys! I can't believe it, this is AMAZING!"

"Yeah... amazing..." Leo said, looking slightly crestfallen. He really was happy for the two of them – it was about time they finally got together on an official date - but at the same time he was worried. Yusei, the guy that Leo saw as the best duelist in the world and his biggest role model, had finally fallen into the world of _dating_. Leo shuddered at the very thought! He was still too young to understand what it was so great about dating and falling in love, and he _definitely _wasn't interested in girls yet; he still thought they had cooties, for crying out loud! His sister, on the other hand, had crushes on a couple of guys in their class, and she was always gossiping with her friends, talking about who was dating who, whether or not this guy liked this girl, who was the hottest celebrity and blah blah blah... it made Leo nauseous listening to it! He was afraid that if Yusei and Akiza started going out, they would be like some of the couples he saw on TV, always kissing and hugging and staring at each other with big goo-goo eyes. Talk about _yuck_! He was also afraid that Yusei would be so focused on Akiza that the older boy wouldn't want to hang out with him anymore.

Yusei seemed to sense Leo's fears and quickly smiled at the young boy, placing a hand on his head and ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, Leo, I'll still be able to spend time with you and help you with your dueling," He said so that only Leo could hear. "Things won't be too different."

Leo sighed with relief, thankful that Yusei had said something. Now that he no longer had that weighing down on his mind, he too started getting excited.

"So, you two are finally going out," he stated, smiling at Yusei. "Good. Now I don't have to listen to Luna's constant talking." Talking in a surprisingly accurate impersonation of Luna, he chirped, "'Yusei and Akiza look so cute together! They would make the perfect couple; it's obvious that they like each other! I wonder if they're ever going to start dating!'"

"Well, it's true!" Luna said defensively as Jack and Crow laughed and Yusei and Akiza blushed. "I was beginning to wonder if you two were _ever_ going to get together!"

"I know, right?" Crow exclaimed, glad that someone felt the same way he did. Luna gave the fiery-haired duelist a smile, and then began questioning Akiza.

"So have you gotten tickets yet? Is Yusei really going to wear a tuxedo? I can't picture him in a tuxedo, but I bet he'll look great. And what are you wearing? Have you picked out a dress yet? What does it look like? If you haven't chosen one yet, can I help you pick? What about your hair, are you going to do something different with it or are you going to leave it as is? I mean, your hair looks fine, I was just curious. What about shoes? Are you going to wear high heels? Is Yusei going to buy you a corsage? That's a prom thing, isn't it? I can't believe you guys are going to prom, this is going to be so great..."

Akiza never had a chance to answer any of her questions; the young girl was barely giving her any time to think! But as Akiza listened to the pre-teen's questions, and began to think about their answers, she felt the smile sliding off her face. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her expression was one of confusion, concern and growing panic.

A dress? Shoes? Hair? Akiza hadn't considered any of these things even once since Yusei invited her to prom. But now, the more she thought about it, the more she began to curse her own stupidity. How could she have never thought about these things? Weren't they essential parts to the prom package? She had been so excited about the fact she was going with Yusei that everything else had been blown out of her mind. And now Akiza faced a problem even bigger than asking Yusei to prom.

Akiza didn't have a prom dress she could wear. The dress she had worn for the WRGP opening had been her mothers, and she didn't think she could get away with borrowing it again; her mother didn't like letting other people wear her clothes. So that meant she would have to buy a dress. The teen duelist wasn't worried about cost – she was sure her parents would be more than happy to chip in on that part, and she had some money saved up for herself.

The problem was that Akiza had no idea how to shop!

Akiza was not the kind of girl to spend all her time at the mall; in fact, the very thought of it scared her. She was good with a deck, she could do all kinds of crazy things with her psychic powers, she could ride a Duel Runner without crashing into things, but when it came to shopping... let's just say it wasn't one of her strengths. Not even close. What was she going to do?

Meanwhile, Leo had also started asking Yusei his own questions. "So, aren't you going to have to wear, like, a tux? And a bow tie?"

"I don't know about the bow tie, but yeah, I guess I'm going to have to get a tux."

Leo chuckled at the thought of Yusei in a penguin suit. He thought the whole fuss about prom was ridiculous, but who was he to judge? Maybe he would understand when he was older... then again, maybe he didn't want to grow up. It seemed too... complicated.

"What about dancing? I've never seen you as the dancing type."

Yusei laughed. "Well, that's because I... don't... dance..."

As Yusei finished the sentence, his eyes went wide in horror. Leo had just pointed out something very crucial to the whole Prom deal, and it was something that Yusei was now scared to death about.

Yusei didn't know how to dance! He couldn't even do the hokey-pokey to save his life! He could stop evil spirits and monsters from taking over the world, he could defeat any number of duelists in a duel, and he could fix any machine as easy as pie, but when it came to dancing, you could count him OUT.

"But, you're going to have to dance at Prom, aren't you?" Leo asked, looking at his friend strangely. He had seen the expression on the Signer's face, and he wondered what on earth was wrong. "I mean, isn't it a dance?"

"Uh... well yes, I suppose it is," Yusei muttered, still in shock. How could he have been so stupid! He had been so excited that Akiza had accepted his invitation to prom that he had completely forgotten everything else! What was he going to do now?

Crow and Jack stared at their fellow teammate, and then they looked at each other. Both duelists knew what was going through Yusei's head, and they both knew that he would need all the help he could get. Crow raised an eyebrow at Jack, who sighed in annoyance and closed his eyes for a moment. He knew what he would have to do, but he _really_ didn't want to do it. But when he opened his eyes again, he nodded at his fiery haired friend. _Only for Yusei_... he thought rather bitterly.

"Well, I think it's getting late," Crow said, standing up and stretching. "Jack, Yus', I think it's time that we head back to the garage."

"I agree," Jack replied, standing up. "We're not getting much done here, anyway."

"Yeah, good idea," Yusei said, trying to recollect his thoughts.

"I think I should get home too," Akiza said, gathering her books. Luna looked slightly crestfallen – she had so many more questions – but it really was getting late, and the two girls had school the next day. She and her twin waved good bye as the other four Signers left their apartment and went their separate ways.

* * *

><p>Back at the garage where they lived, Yusei, Jack, and Crow were sitting around their kitchen table. Jack held a cup of coffee, Yusei had taken off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, and Crow... well, Crow was just sitting there.<p>

"So, what are you going to do about the dance, Yusei?" Crow asked.

"I have absolutely no idea!" Yusei said in helpless defeat, slumping forward and holding his head in one hand. "You both know that I have two left feet. I'm sure Akiza expects me to dance with her – why else would we go to a dance? I can't believe I didn't think about this before!"

"Why not just not dance? I never danced at any of the parties I went to during my time as Champion," Jack said bluntly, sipping his coffee. He looked up at his teammates and found that they were both giving him the same look: the can-you-really-be-that-stupid-and-ignorant look.

"That's because you're the very definition of 'party-pooper', Jack," Crow told him. Jack just grunted and went back to his drink. He couldn't argue against that.

"You guys don't happen to know anyone who could teach me how to... you know... dance, do you?" Yusei asked, feeling his face flush with embarrassment as he finished the sentence. This was humiliating! Just thinking about taking dance lessons made him shudder. It was so... not him. Yusei would rather die then be seen practicing a waltz. But what other choice did he have?

Yusei had expected his friends (or at least Crow) to look at him apologetically, shake their heads, and tell him that they couldn't help him. Instead, Crow gave Jack a sideways glance, and Jack returned the look with and irritated sigh. Yusei raised his head and looked from one to the other with curiosity, and even a little hope. Jack set his cup down and leaned back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest.

"I have a friend... no, more like an accomplice, who might be able to help you," the blonde duelist said. "His name is Romero. He's one of the many duelists I defeated during my time as champion, but he stubbornly insists that we're the best of pals. Ha!" Jack looked away from the two boys before him, his eyes cold and his expression one of irritation. "He's loud, big-talking, over-confident, self absorbed, pushy, and just down right annoying, but he knows how to move his feet. He was always the life of the party." Jack snorted as though there was nothing more ridiculous.

"So he's almost exactly like you, huh?" Crow teased. "Except for the dancing part, of course."

Jack just gave a loud "Hmph!" and turned away.

"Can we contact this Romero?" Yusei asked, notes of hope and desperation entering his voice.

"Oh, yes. He forced all his contact information on me the last time we met. I have his cell and home numbers, his address, his e-mail, everything." Jack looked away again, but his expression had changed. He looked almost... sheepish. Embarrassed, even.

"I was thinking about giving him a call anyway," he said quietly.

"Why?" Crow asked curiously. Jack's eyes were roaming around the room, looking anywhere but at the boys sitting at the table with him. He was definitely holding back some very big information. Crow and Yusei leaned toward him, waiting to hear the answer.

"I... have certain... services that are required from him. It's kind of difficult to explain..."

"Oh, come on, Jack spit it out!" Yusei said, smiling at his friend. You would think, by the blonde's humiliated expression, that he had asked Carly to prom or something...

Wait a minute...

"Jack," Crow began slowly, and Yusei could tell that he had been thinking the same thing, "did you ask someone to prom?"

Jack looked at the two boys and feigned disbelief.

"What? Psh, of course not! Don't be ridiculous. Who one earth would I ask to prom?"

"Carly," Yusei and Crow said at the same time. The three boys looked at each other, and the smaller two knew they had caught Jack red-handed. He continued to act casual, but his eyes were shifty, the muscles in his arms had suddenly gotten tense... and was that a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face? Yusei and Crow just smiled at Jack, waiting for him to drop the façade and admit they were right.

Suddenly, Jack's face grew hard and defiant. "Quit looking at me like that!" He demanded, banging his fist on the table. "So I asked Carly to prom. So what? Yusei was going, so I figured that I might as well, and since he finally got the guts to ask Akiza I thought I'd better..."

"We're not laughin' at ya, buddy!" Crow said. He got up and clapped Jack on the back. "We're happy for you! When did you ask her?"

Jack shrugged off Crow's hand and began sipping his coffee again. "It was a little while before we went to the twins' apartment. I went to the store to get some bread and milk, and I bumped into her while I was there." The blonde couldn't help but smile a bit. "She sounded really pleased. She accepted the invitation, anyway."

"That's great, Jack!" Yusei said, smiling at the blonde. "It's nice to see you opening up and branching out a bit."

"It's about time, too!" Crow exclaimed. "I mean, ever since that stuff happened with her and the Dark Signers-"

Crow was silenced by the look Jack gave him. The former champion didn't like to speak about what had happened during his duel with Carly while she was a Dark Signer; it was a touchy spot for him. In fact, it was several months after the event before Jack even told them about his relationship with the reporter, and the only people he told were Crow and Yusei. The two boys suspected that he had also spoken to Martha about it – he shared an incredibly strong bond with their former foster mother – but they had never pressed for more information. It was obviously painful for Jack to talk about it.

"So, when are you guys going to meet with this Romero guy?" Crow asked, quickly changing the subject.

"What do you mean 'you guys'?" Yusei asked. "You're coming too!"

"_WHAT?_" Crow exclaimed, stepping away from the table and his friends. "I ain't goin' to no dance! Why do I need to come?"

"Good question," Jack said, raising and eyebrow at Yusei. Yusei gave Jack a meaningful look, and Jack shrugged and went back to sipping his coffee.

"Of course you're coming with us, Crow!" Yusei said as he stood up and walked around the table toward his friend. "It wouldn't be any fun without you there!"

"But I don't have a date!" Crow said.

But the other two had no idea how painful it was for Crow to say that. He was tired of feeling like the extra – the third wheel. He had always seen Yusei with Akiza, Jack with Carly, and thought to himself, 'What about me?' Not that he was interested in girls all that much, but the thought of his friends finding people to care about made him feel lonely. His nest was safe in Martha's hands back at the Satellite, and although Crow visited them as often as he could, he no longer had them to occupy his attention. They were all growing up so fast, and becoming more and more independent. There wasn't much more that the fiery-haired duelist could do for them now. They were safe; they all had three meals a day and a safe, warm bed to sleep in. Their skills as duelists had gotten better and better, and they astounded even Crow, who had taught them how to duel. He had been like a father to them, and he had looked at them like his own children; it had been hard to let them go. And now that they were gone, he felt as though there was a big void in his life. Of course he had Jack and Yusei to keep him company, and he loved them like the brothers he never had, and the other Signers were also very close friends, but he could never love them the way he had loved his nest... or the way a man could love a woman. But what kind of girl would want to date him? He had three criminal markings on his face, he had gotten in trouble with Sector Security on multiple occasions, and his overall general appearance was like a neon sign saying 'Look out – I'm dangerous'. What girl would want that kind of a guy? There was only ever one girl he thought he could have a relationship with, but Crow hadn't seen her in months, since he left Satellite, and they had been out of contact for a while. Crow was sure she had forgotten all about him by now.

"You don't have to have a date!" Yusei said, oblivious to Crow's solemn thoughts. "You can come and, you know, mingle."

"'Mingle'?" Crow repeated. "Did you really just use the word 'mingle'?"

Jack laughed softly and Yusei looked a bit embarrassed.

"You know what I mean. I just think it would be good for you to meet some new people."

"And by 'people', you actually mean 'girls', right?"

"Well, yeah," Yusei said. He looked right into Crow's mischievous, gray eyes and put a hand on his shoulder. "You just look like you've been a bit lonely lately, especially without those orphans around. It might be good for you to start dating and find someone to love."

Crow blinked with surprise. Maybe Yusei knew him better than he had previously thought. The orange-haired duelist leaned back against the wall and folded his arms, looking down at his boots.

"Thanks for looking out for me, Yus', but I dunno. I don't want to get in your way, or Jack's. Besides, look at me." He gestured to his marked face and spoke out what had been going through his head. "What girl is going to be attracted to this?"

Yusei stared down at his friend in surprise. The bird-wielding duelist had never spoken like this before, and Yusei had a feeling that his insecurities went deeper than he was making it seem. Jack, sensing the same thing as Yusei, put down his cup and pushed himself away from the table, moving to stand next to Yusei, directly in front of the boy slumped against the wall.

"Crow, any girl would be lucky to have you as her boyfriend, and you know it," he snapped. "You may have spent time in the Facility, but it was to help care for those who needed help. I've never seen anyone who knows kids like you do. Heck, you're almost like a kid yourself! You are the most generous person that I have ever met, and you would do anything to help anyone, even if you don't know them. You have the heart as strong as the Crimson Dragon and twice as big. Why do you think the Crimson Dragon would chose you to receive its mark if you weren't worthy of it? Any girl who can't look past the Criminal Marks and see that isn't worth your time, anyway. Don't you forget it."

Jack punctuated each word in his last sentence by stabbing his finger into Crow's chest. Crow looked up at the former champion with mixed feelings of surprise and gratitude. Getting a compliment like that from Jack Atlas was like planting an apple tree and growing peaches, and what really shocked the fiery-haired duelist was that Jack really meant what he said. Crow looked over at Yusei, who smiled at him and nodded. At that moment, Crow knew without a doubt that he had to two most wonderful friends in the world. A wide grin spread across his face as he stood up straight.

"So... when do we talk to this Romero guy?"

* * *

><p>Akiza was lying on her bed in her pajamas, snuggled beneath her covers and staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, feeling depressed. When she had gotten home, she told her parents that she wanted to go to bed early tonight, but now she found that she couldn't fall asleep. Her thoughts were still full of worries about prom. Should she ask her mom to help her buy a dress?... No, she had a feeling that her mother's idea of fashion was much different from hers. Besides, the stubborn, defiant teenager side of her wouldn't allow her to do something like that. But who else could she ask?<p>

Just then, her phone buzzed on her bed side table. Akiza sat up, turned on the lamp, and picked up the phone, checking the caller ID. It was Carly Carmine. _Why on Earth is she calling? _Akiza wondered.

"Hello?" Akiza answered the phone.

She had to hold her phone away from her ear as a shrill, excited scream blasted through the speaker. Carly was talking rapidly, barely forming words. She apparently had some big, amazing news that she was absolutely dying to share.

"Calm down, Carly, calm down! What is it?"

"You will not believe who asked me to prom!" Carly shrieked. Before Akiza could ask who it was, Carly yelled "_JACK ATLAS!_ We met at the grocery store earlier today and he asked me to prom! Isn't that absolutely spectacularly incredibly _WONDERFUL?_"

"Jack Atlas? Really?" Akiza was shocked to hear this news. She had always thought that Jack was too cold and closed-hearted to have any real feelings for anyone, but apparently she had been wrong.

"I KNOW!" Carly screamed. She was absolutely ecstatic.

"That's amazing, Carly! I'm very happy for you."

"He also told me that you and Yusei were going together! It's about time!"

_Why do people keep saying that?_ Akiza wondered. "Thanks, Carly."

"This is going to be absolutely amazing! Do you have your dress picked out yet?"

Akiza felt her blood turn cold at this sudden change of subject. "Do you?"

"No," Carly answered, sounding slightly crestfallen. "I still have the dress I wore to my old high school prom, but... I don't think it's going to cut it this time."

"Do you think I could borrow it?" Akiza asked before she could stop herself.

"What? You want to borrow _my_ dress?"

Akiza had been asking herself the same thing. She had seen the dress Carly was talking about at the opening of the WRGP, and she was pretty sure that it wouldn't look good on her at all, but she was getting desperate.

"Sorry, Carly, I just... I don't have a dress either, and I have no idea what to do about it!"

Akiza sighed, resting her elbows against her knees and twirling her bangs around her finger. "I've never been shopping before in my life, and I don't know what fashion is in or what goes with what or what stores even sell prom dresses!"

"You don't?" Carly sounded shocked

Akiza shook her head, but then remembered that Carly couldn't see it. "No, I have no clue. Do I really look like the kind of girl who spends every waking moment at the mall or talking about the newest sales?"

"Oh, well, no. But if you want, I was going to go to the mall with Misty tomorrow, and she was going to help me find something." Carly said. "I gave her a call after Jack asked me and she said she would help me get ready. I'm sure she'd be happy to help you, too!"

"Misty? Is she back from her photo shoot in Egypt?"

"Yeah, she got back during the weekend!"

_Why didn't I think of that?_ Akiza thought. "That's a great idea! Would she be okay with it?"

"Sure!" Carly said cheerfully. "I'll give her a call and tell her that you'll be tagging along."

"Thank you so much, Carly, you're a lifesaver! So what's the plan?"

"Well, you can meet us tomorrow after you're done at the academy if you want. We'll pick you up in Misty's limo!" Carly squealed again at the thought of being in an actual luxury limousine. "Misty's going to take us to the mall, and there, we'll shop for dresses at her boutique, Blossoming Beauty."

"A boutique?" Akiza repeated nervously. "Aren't they super expensive?"

"Misty said not to worry about it; she can get us all discounts since we're her friends. I LOVE being friends with a super-famous super model!"

Akiza laughed quietly, and then another thought struck her. "Do you think Misty would mind if I bring Luna along?"

"Luna? You mean the little-girl signer that can hear duel monster spirits?"

"Yeah. We were talking earlier today and she wanted to help me pick out a dress. I think it would be nice to have her come."

"I don't see why not," Carly replied. "Don't worry, Akiza, this will be fun!"

"I hope you're right, Carly," Akiza muttered, hugging her knees. She felt silly, but the thought of shopping scared the living daylights out of her! This was an entirely unknown and unexplored territory to her, and she had no clue what to expect.

"It will be, trust me!" Carly reassured her. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Ok, see you, Carly. Good night."

Akiza closed her phone and lay back in her bed. Looks like this week will be all about trying new things! As the teen closed her eyes and began drifting off to sleep, she pictured herself beneath a disco ball, dancing with Yusei, and she smiled. She wondered if he was as nervous and excited about this as she was.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Jack called Romero. The two duelists spoke for a long time (or Romero spoke and Jack listened impatiently), and they decided to meet at Romero's mansion after lunch. Crow had to deliver some packages first, and Yusei had been called in for a couple of quick fix-it jobs, but the trio got there on time.<p>

At Romero's estate, the three Signers drove their duel runners through tall, black iron gates and down a brick driveway lined with flowering trees and bushes. The lawn was perfectly manicured, the bushes were perfectly trimmed, and the fragrances coming from a nearby garden gave the entire estate a feeling of peace and serenity. The driveway circled around a white-marble fountain before ending in front of an elegant, colonial-styled house. Romero's mansion was three stories tall and about 200 feet wide, and it must have held at least 20 rooms.

"This guy sure knows how to live in style," Crow commented as he climbed off his runner, turning slowly on the spot to get a good look around him.

"He doesn't live here by himself, does he?" Yusei asked Jack.

"No, he has a wife and three kids, plus at least a dozen servants living here. Honestly, I don't know how they can stand him."

Behind the three duelists, the large front doors opened and an old butler stepped outside and descended the steps to the driveway. He approached the duelists and bowed low.

"Greetings," the butler said in a bored, colorless voice. "You must be Jack Atlas and his accomplices. Master Romero welcomes you to his estate."

"Fine, whatever," Jack snapped. "Can we just get this over with?"

The butler straightened up and gave Jack a blank look before continuing, "Master Romero is in the study. I shall take you to him."

"Jack, could you at least try to be polite?" Yusei whispered as the butler lead them up the steps and through the doors. "We really need this guy's help!"

Jack made a noise that sounded a bit like "Tch!" and turned away. The butler lead them through the foyer, up a spiral staircase, and down a large, brightly-lit corridor. It was like being in a fancy hotel, except the doors weren't numbered. Despite the house's old fashioned style, everything inside it looked brand new and very expensive.

The butler lead the trio around a corner and they were suddenly facing a pair of french doors. Gracefully pulling them open (if doors could be opened gracefully, he just did it), the butler showed the duelists inside a room that was a cross between a study and a family room. On the wall opposite the door, there was a large floor-to-ceiling window that looked over the grounds and let in the sunlight, giving the room a healthy, friendly glow. On the left side of the room, one wall was covered with bookshelves bursting with all different kinds of books, and a large work desk sat in front of them, strewn with papers and documents, along with a laptop. The other side of the room had two comfortable-looking couches with a coffee table in between them and a very large flat screen TV mounted on the wall.

The three duelists and the butler weren't the only people in the room. Two people sat on the floor at either side of the coffee table, apparently playing a practice duel the old fashioned way. The man on the left looked to be about 5'7" and was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a nice cotton shirt. He had jet black hair that was pulled back away from his forehead with tons of hair gel, thin, black eyebrows, and a pencil mustache and goatee, which were also black. His eyes were clear grey, and they seemed to sparkle whenever the man smiled. Across from Romero (for that was who Yusei assumed the man was) was a young boy that looked enough like him to be his son, although he, of course, didn't have a mustache or a goatee, and his hair was a little messier. The boy looked to be about thirteen years old, dressed in jeans, red converse, and a Black-Eyed Peas t-shirt. He had obviously just made a very impressive play, because is father was congratulating him and giving him a high five. As Crow watched the two of them, his mind suddenly went back through time to when he had been teaching the kids in his nest how to duel.

When Romero looked up and saw the three duelists standing there, his smile got even brighter. He bounced up and strode towards them with his arms spread wide.

"Jack Atlas! Long time no see, my old friend! I'm so glad you could come!" he said in a loud voice that made Yusei and Crow jump. He spoke in some kind of European accent, and it sounded very loud and obnoxious. Romero shook Jack's hand enthusiastically, asking him how he had been, if he was entering the WRGP, why he hadn't been reading his e-mails or visiting. Jack answered him in short sentences, and he refused to smile.

"And you must be Yusei Fudo!" Romero boomed, shaking Yusei's hand. "I've heard so much about you! I watched your championship duel and television, and I've got to tell you that I was amazed at your skill. We MUST duel sometime in the near future! Although, I'm sorry to say, I haven't dueled in a while. Nope, after I lost to Jack I changed my career to one of fashion design! I design the best, most stylish clothes for people of all ages! I'm very famous, you know. I even made the suit that Jack wore to the WRGP opening!"

"_YOU_ made that get up?" Crow asked, glaring at Jack. "You mean the one_**I**_ paid for?"

Romero looked around at the sound of Crow's voice. "Ah, and you must be Crow! My children have heard many things about you from their friends, I'll tell you, many, many things! All good things, I'm delighted to say. And yes, I did make that suit. And you should count yourself lucky about that price – if it was for anyone but my ol' pal Jack, it would have been twice as much!"

Crow's jaw just about hit the floor at that one. Romero, completely oblivious to Crow's reaction, turned to face all three of them and clapped his hands together. "Now – to business! Jack here said that you needed help with some dance lessons. Well, you called the right man, my friends! I could be what you call the best dancer in New Domino City! What will we be learning today? Jazz? Hip-hop? Folk dancing? I'm going to assume not ballet-"

"Oh no, none of that, please," Yusei begged. "We just want to know how to dance for the academy prom coming up."

"Ooooooohhhhhhhh, I seeee!" Romero said, drawing out the words ridiculously long. "You mean ballroom dancing! Not to worry, my friends, there isn't a man alive that I can't teach! Not even Jack!" He laughed out loud at his own joke, and then slung his arms around Yusei and Jack's shoulders and pushed them towards the door. "Let us go down to my dance studio, shall we?"

He turned and called to his son, who was still sitting at the table. "I'm sorry, Lucas, but we'll have to continue our duel later, daddy has to work! Why don't you go outside and play with your brother and sister for a while?"

Then he finally turned to Crow. "Come on, Raven, let's get a-skippin', eh?"

"Uh, my name is Crow."

"Right, that's what I said. Now come on, you three! Let's do this!"

* * *

><p>That afternoon, Akiza sat in the classroom and struggled with her own impatience. The dismissal bell was going to ring at any minute, and she was anxious to get out of there and get the shopping deal over with. She tapped her pencil against her binder in an impatient rhythm, staring at the clock so hard that she could've burned a hole through it. Akiza wasn't even paying attention to her professor, who stood before the class, lecturing about some kind of dueling technique. The rose duelist had already learned this technique from Yusei, so she wasn't worried about missing anything...<p>

Yusei. The very thought of him sent her stomach into flips. She had been thinking of him even more than usual, and he was the reason for all the little doodle-hearts on the front of her backpack. She wanted so badly for the upcoming dress hunt to go smoothly so she could impress her prom date (she loved referring Yusei to that... her prom date. As in Yusei is taking her to prom. Isn't that just a wonderful phrase? WAY better than Hakuna Matatta!). But at the same time, she had no idea what to expect, and the unknown world of _shopping_ still scared her silly.

**BBBRRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!**

Akiza jumped as the loud clang of the bell broke through her thoughts and her fellow classmates began moving around her, gathering books and notes. The professor shouted out an assignment, and Akiza quickly jotted it down before leaping out of her seat and making a beeline for the door.

Once outside, Akiza sat on the same bench as the day before, twirling her dark red bangs around her finger and looking up and down the street in front of the academy. Luna sat next to her, chattering excitedly.

"I can't believe we're going to be riding in an actual limo! This is going to be so much fun; I've never been on a big shopping trip like this before! Aren't you excited, Akiza?"

"Mm-hm," Akiza mumbled, twisting her hair even more vigorously. "What on Earth is taking them so long?"

"We've only been out here for five minutes. I'm sure they'll be here s- Oh, I think I see it!"

A bunch of students pointed and stared openmouthed as a sleek, black limousine silently pulled up along the curb, coming to a smooth halt right in front of the two Signers. As Akiza and Luna stood and approached the limo, one of the windows rolled down to reveal Carly Carmine and Misty Tredwell sitting together in the back seat. Carly was wearing her usual blue-and-white striped sweater and orange vest, and though her double-framed glasses hid most of her face, it was obvious that she was very, very excited. She loudly called out to Akiza, even though she was standing right next to the limo, and waved her hand enthusiastically.

Misty, who was sitting closest to the window, gave Akiza a warm, friendly smile. The super model was wearing a casual skirt-and-blouse combo with a stylish jacket, and on her forehead, she wore a small, gold tikka that with a bright blue gem. A gold locket hung around her neck, and Akiza knew that it contained a picture of the super-model and her brother, Toby. Her beautiful, flawless face was framed by her sleek black hair with her bangs coming across her forehead, pointing inward between her eyes. Her bright, keen eyes, which were an almost metallic blue color, gave Akiza the feeling of being X-rayed as they gazed over at her. The Signer knew that Misty read people's fortunes using their faces, and she couldn't help but wonder what the super model could see on her face now.

"Good afternoon, Akiza and Luna," Misty said kindly as the chauffer stepped out of the vehicle and moved around to open the door for the two Academy girls. They both returned the greeting and climbed into the limo, sitting across from the other two women. Akiza did her best to ignor the gasps and whispers of her fellow classmates as the chauffer shut the door and walked around to the front of the vehicle, climbing into the driver's seat. The tinted window rolled up and the limo sped away from the school. Misty told the chauffer where to go, and he nodded silently, guiding the vehicle through the busy traffic that constantly circled the New Domino City.

Akiza and Luna looked around them. The interior of the limo had a luxurious, classic style with soft leather seats, a carpeted floor, and crystal lighting. A small TV was partially hidden in an open space in the ceiling, and the two psychics figured that it was pulled out whenever it was being used. On the side of the limo opposite the door, there was a small, counter with a built in mini-fridge next to a few drawers. Above the counter, there was a set of wooden cabinets, and a microwave and a toaster sat on the marble countertop. A small vase filled with flowers gave the room a fresh, sweet smell. Akiza was pleased to see that the flowers were roses.

"So how have you both been?" Misty asked lightly, her hands folded in her lap as she gazed at the girls opposite her.

"How have they been?" Carly cut in, practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. "They're obviously been great! Luna's hanging out with a famous super model, and on top of that, Akiza's going to prom with her dream guy! Who wouldn't feel great? I know I feel great! And ya wanna know why? Because _I'M GOING TO PROM WITH JACK ATLAS!_"

"Yes, I know, Carly. You've said that several times," Misty laughed. Listening to Misty's laugh made Akiza relax a little; she had not spoken to the super model since she was revived from the Netherworld after being defeated in a duel with the Black Rose. Akiza still looked back on that frightful day and shuddered. They had both been very different people then. Akiza had been troubled and full of guilt, which made her vulnerable to Sayer and his Psychic powers, and Misty had been overcome by rage and grief over the disappearance of her little brother, Toby, who had been part of the Arcadia Movement until Sayer had decided he wasn't powerful enough. That grief and pain led Misty to become a Dark Signer and take out her anger on Akiza, because she thought that the Black Rose was responsible for Toby's disappearance. When Yusei had revealed that Sayer was the one responsible, however, Misty had her Earthbound Immortal, Ccarayhua, eat Sayer. That broke his hold on Akiza, and Yusei called out to her and brought her back in control. After that, Misty had tried to back out of the duel, but the darkness took over and forced the duel to continue. Akiza had been forced to defeat Misty, sending her to the Netherworld, but also freeing her from the darkness. Fortunately, Yusei later defeated Director Goodwin, who had been trying to destroy the world and rebuild it in his image at the time, and brought everyone who had been a Dark Signer back. The two women had since then made amends and became good friends. To give the story an even happier ending, after many months of searching, Misty found her brother and the other poor children who had disappeared on an uncharted island in the middle of the ocean. The poor boy had been weak and scared, but Misty brought him and the other children back to New Domino and their families. Toby was still recovering from his experience, and he now lived with Misty in her apartment.

"I guess I've been doing okay," Akiza said, answering the super model's question, "but you don't need me to tell you that. What does my face tell you, oh great Face Reader?"

Misty giggled. "Well, let me see..." She leaned foreword slightly, her teal eyes gazing intensely into Akiza's brown ones. There was a small pause, and then she spoke again in her mystical, fortune-teller tone:

"You're eyes are showing me your true emotion. You're definitely a girl in love, although anyone could see that now. You're excited about prom, but at the same time, you're terrified, because you don't know what to expect. And, you're embarrassed. I'm guessing because this is your first shopping trip. Don't be embarrassed, there's a first time for everything, and I'll be there to help you out. And don't worry too much about prom; I can see that it's going to be a night to remember," Misty finished with a smile, leaning back into the soft, leather seat.

"Do you really think so?" Akiza said, blushing slightly. Misty just nodded as her smile widened.

"Oh, wow, you're good!" Luna said, looking up at the fortune teller admiringly. "How did you do that?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you. It's a secret," Misty said with a smile.

"Well, can you see what's on my face?" The youngest girl asked.

"Hmm... you are very excited about this opportunity to hang out with older girls, and you're very excited for Akiza, because of her date with Yusei."

"Wow, you are good!" Luna said in wonder.

"Hey," Carly cut in, looking at Luna curiously, "I thought you had a twin brother or something. Where is he?"

"Oh, he's fine," Luna said dismissively. "He's going over to a friend's house. He didn't want to go shopping because he thinks it's too girly."

"Well then, he's going to miss out on all the fun, isn't he?" Mistly laughed lightly.

"It seems like it," Akiza agreed. "Speaking of which, thanks so much for doing this for us, Misty! We really appreciate it."

"Yeah, thanks Misty!" Carly agreed.

"Thank you very much!" Luna chirped.

"It's no problem," Misty said warmly. "I'm glad that I'm able to help." She closed her eyes and smiled again, but this smile was secretive. "Besides, you two aren't the only ones who are preparing for prom."

"What do you mean?" Akiza asked, but Carly gasped.

"Are you saying that you're going to prom too, Misty?" She cried, and Akiza felt her eyes grow wide as she and Luna waited for the super model to confirm or deny the Carly's question. Misty laughed again.

"Yes, it's true. I am going to Prom with someone."

"That's wonderful!" Luna squealed.

"That's great, Misty!" Akiza agreed, clapping her hands together. "Who are you going-"

"OH, MY, GOSH!" Carly interrupted. She really did bounce out of her seat this time, and her head smacked the roof of the limo. She yelled out, "Ouch!" and rubbed her head, and then proceeded to scramble for her notebook and camera. "What a scoop! So tell me, who is this mystery date?"

Misty giggled again. "I'm sorry, but I'd rather keep that mystery a secret until. You'll all find out at Prom."

"B-b-b-but-but-" Carly stuttered, shaking the notebook and pen in her hands, begging for information. The young reported needed another scoop if she was going to keep her job!

"Don't worry, Carly, you'll find out soon enough," Misty said happily. Carly slumped in her seat, looking disappointed.

Misty continued, "It wasn't just me that I was talking about, though. I got a call today from Jack's old secretary, Mina Simmington. Apparently, that officer you guys are familiar with, Trudge, got up the nerve to ask her to prom as well. I told her she could come with us, but she'll be meeting us at the mall."

"Mina and Trudge? Really?" Akiza said incredulously. She had gotten a hunch that Trudge liked Mina, but she had always thought Mina had reserved special feelings for Jack. She was surprised, but pleased, to hear that they would be going together. Carly seemed to be in agreement, because she had a small smirk on her face; Akiza imagined that she was thinking, _That's right, Mina, Jack is mine! I win! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-haa!_ (Okay, maybe not the evil laugh.)

"Wow!" said Luna. "I think you and Yusei started a trend, Akiza! Now everyone has a date to prom!"

Akiza laughed softly, blushing again. "Maybe we did."

"We're here, ladies," The chauffer cut in suddenly. Akiza jumped and looked out the window. The mall was even bigger than she had feared, and it looked extremely crowded.

"Thanks, Joseph," Misty said to the chauffer as he pulled up alongside the enormous building. Joseph jumped out, ran around the long vehicle, and he opened the door for the four girls at they stepped out. Akiza stood and stared at the building, tense with apprehension. What in the world was she doing here? She couldn't do this!

"Um, guys, I think I changed my mind," Akiza said, her voice shaking. "I'll just steal something from my mom's closet for prom." She turned to go, but the limo was already driving away.

"Oh, no you don't!" Misty said, grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. "We're going to do this, Akiza, whether you like it or not!"

"But-"

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Akiza, honestly!" Carly said, taking her other arm. "We'll be fine."

"I don't-"

"Come on, Akiza, this is going to be fun!" Luna squealed in excitement.

Akiza sighed. "Fine, let's just get this over with, please."

"Okay," Misty agreed. "I think I see Mina up ahead."

Sure enough, a young woman with short blue hair stood by the revolving door to the mall, waving at them.

"Hey, you guys!" She said warmly, giving each of them, even Carly, with a smile. "Thanks for letting me come along!"

"No problem," Misty said again, with a wide, determined smile. "Let's do this!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Night to Remember**

Akiza Izinski was awoken by the sound of the clock radio on her bedside table playing "Beautiful Life" by Jenny Jordan Frogley. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, stretched her arms over her head, yawned widely, and rolled over to check the time. It was 6:30; time to get ready for another day at the academy.

The rose duelist climbed out of bed sleepily and pulled on her bathrobe over her pajamas. She shuffled over to the window and pulled back the dark curtains, letting the morning light filter in. The sun was just rising, and it cast bright rays of pink and gold across the slowly-brightening blue sky. Akiza opened the window and allowed the cool morning air to seep into the room, the breeze lifting her bangs away from her face. Birds chirped in the tree just outside the window, singing a sweet song that gave Akiza a calming sense of peace. Akiza opened her eyes again and she looked out over the neighborhood she and her parents lived in. The smoke curling from a few chimneys revealed that other families were also beginning to stir after a good night's sleep, but the morning was still silent and unmoving. The red-haired girl leaned her head out with her forearms on the windowsill and breathed in the fresh air, drinking in the serenity and contentment the morning brought with the rising sun.

'I've never seen such a beautiful morning,' Akiza thought. 'I hope it lasts, seeing that today is...'

Today is...

Oh, my gosh!

Akiza's eyes snapped wide open and she gasped so loudly that the birds in the trees flew away, startled by the noise. The young Signer shut the window and whirled around, ran to her desk, and grabbed the calendar that hung on the wall just above it, staring at the little square that marked today's date. That square had been circled several times, and inside the circle, Akiza had written the word 'PROM' in capital letters.

Today was the duel academy prom!

And she would be going to prom with Yusei Fudo!

She sat back in her desk chair and felt an exhilarated smile pulling at her lips as she pushed her bangs away from her face. The day was finally here! It had seemed to take forever to arrive... but at the same time, it seemed like only yesterday Yusei had asked her to prom at the skate park. Was it possible for time to go by both too slowly and too quickly?

In reality, it had been two weeks since Yusei had asked Akiza to prom, and the time after that had seemed like a dream, or a fairy tale, like she had stepped into someone else's life. She, along with her friends, Misty Tredwell, Mina Symington, and Carly Carmine, with a little help from Luna, had been preparing for this day, doing everything humanly possible to make sure it would be perfect. Carly wouldn't stop talking about her prom date, Jack Atlas, and Mina seemed very pleased to be going with her work partner, Officer Trudge, but Misty had remained tight-lipped about her mystery date, despite Carly's begging and prying. The five of them had gone shopping the previous week (Akiza still couldn't believe that she had actually gone shopping!) and bought themselves new dresses, shoes, accessories, and other necessities. Akiza still marveled about how fun the trip had been. Misty had opened a new door for the red-haired Signer, introducing her to the world of fashion and style. It sounded really corny, but it gave Akiza a new sense of security to know more about these things. Luna had tagged along mainly to support Akiza and hang out with the other girls, since she wasn't going to prom with a date (she was way too young!), but she too had gotten some cute clothes and other things to attend with Leo.

Along with the shopping trip, Misty, Mina and Carly had introduced Akiza to make-up. She hadn't been looking forward to that part, either, and she didn't take to make-up like she had taken to fashion, but again, it was nice to know about it. They had all agreed that they would help each other prepare for the night. Mina had introduced Akiza to dancing, which also wasn't something she had been familiar with before. She, along with Misty and Carly, had taught her many line dances that would most likely be played at the dance, and Akiza memorized every step; she did NOT want to look like a fool in front of Yusei. The three older girls had also shown her how to slow dance, and that made Akiza wonder if Yusei even knew how to dance. She had never seen him as the type to hit the dance floor every weekend. She knew that he, along with Jack and Crow, had been making their own preparations, but Yusei had not given her any details.

All Akiza knew was that, with everything that she had learned and prepared for over the past week, this was going to be a night to remember.

What made the past week really special was that, despite their now very busy schedules, Akiza and Yusei had found time to spend together, just the two of them. Yusei would take a break from whatever he was doing to visit Akiza, or she would visit him, and they always found something to do. Sometimes he helped her with her homework, or they had a turbo duel, or they worked on their duel runners (Akiza had become quite the grease monkey with all the time she spent with the world's best mechanic). Yusei had also made a habit of meeting her after school every once in a while, and they would go to various places just to talk and laugh together. In her mind, Akiza called them practice dates, because they seemed to be preparing themselves for their date to prom - the big kahoonah of all dates! The two duelists had gone out for ice cream a couple of times. One time they went to a park and had a picnic beneath a large oak tree by the duck pond. They had gone to the skate park, their favorite place, several times, and they even went to the amusement park once, at Carly's suggestion. Whenever Akiza looked back on these little outings, she would blush, a dreamy smile would appear on her lips, and her eyes would glaze over with a distant, far away look. Or that was what her friends told her, anyway.

Akiza had a feeling that she was doing just that as she looked down at the framed pictures sitting on her desk. She had taken a lot of pictures over the past few months, trying hard to capture the many memories she had made with her friends and family. The psychic duelist had come to realize that she had lost precious time in her dark, secluded days as The Black Rose, and she wanted to make up for it. There was one picture of her standing in between her parents in front of their house; it had been taken when Akiza returned home after the Dark Signers had been defeated. Another one showed her studying with the twins in their apartment. There was a picture of all of the Signers standing together in a group, their arms held up to show their marks. One showed her and the twins standing in front of the academy in their uniforms. Another picture showed Akiza with her helmet and riding suit on, sitting on the duel runner the guys had made for her. A sixth photo showed Yusei, Jack, and Crow working on their duel runners. There was a big group picture of the entire 5Ds team. And yet more pictures had been carefully pasted into a scrapbook that lay on the left-hand corner of the desk. Akiza had designed it herself, and her mom had helped to show her how to make the pages and bind the book. It had been an on-going project that Akiza was very proud of.

On top of the scrapbook, her two most recent photos lay, waiting to be either framed or put into the book. One had actually been a picture that Carly had taken on their shopping trip with Misty, Mina, and Luna. The reporter had given Akiza a copy of the photo upon hearing that she had taken up scrap booking. In the photo, the five girls were standing on an escalator, their arms laden with shopping bags from Misty's boutique, Bath and Body Works (they had so many amazing scents of lotion and perfume there!), and – Akiza felt her face go red just looking at it – Victoria's Secret. The girls were laughing, obviously having a great time. Akiza couldn't help but laugh at her expression –she had a dazed, surprised look on her face, like she couldn't believe she was having such a great time, or that she was even there.

That picture was great, but it was the second one that she loved most.

She and Yusei were sitting beneath the oak tree in the park where they had picnicked a few days ago. Yusei had his back against the trunk of the tree, a wide smile on his face, his blue eyes sparkling like sunlight on water. On arm was stretched out toward the edge of the picture, his unseen hand holding the camera. His other arm was wrapped casually around Akiza's waist, holding her close to his side. Akiza's smile was one of content, like she was completely at peace with the world.

The love-sick psychic sighed and picked up the picture, looking back on all the things she had been through with Yusei. They had gone through pain and loss, they had seen each other at their lowest states, but they had also seen rebirth and truth and friendship. Yusei had been the first true friend she had had in years, and now there was no doubt that they were becoming more than friends. And tonight... Tonight would determine the future of their relationship. It would either make it or break it. Akiza's heart clenched momentarily at the thought that this could all go terribly wrong. The last thing she wanted was to lose Yusei's friendship. The psychic could remember all too well what it had been like to lose Sayer... and she had a feeling that losing Yusei would hurt even worse. She didn't think she could survive that kind of pain a second time.

Then she remembered what Misty had told her on the way to the mall:

"_Don't worry too much about prom. I can see that it's going to be a night to remember." _

Misty had said that prom would go well, and as far as Akiza knew, the super-model had never been wrong. Besides, what could go wrong? After all of the time she had spent with Yusei over the past week, the rose duelist felt as though she knew Yusei even better than before, and she had a hunch that the raven-haired signer felt the same way. But what if...

"Akiza, are you up yet?" Mrs. Izinski's voice drifted up from the kitchen. "You need to be getting ready for school!"

"Oh, crap," Akiza muttered under her breath. How long had she been sitting there, lost in her thoughts? The teen twisted around to look at the clock radio by her bed: 6:45!

"Oh, crap!" she cried again, this time louder. She set the picture back down on top of her scrapbook before rushing into the bathroom to shower.

Yusei Fudo awoke earlier than usual. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon, and the raven-haired Signer could feel the crisp morning breeze coming in through the window; he had left it open that night to keep the room from getting stuffy. He slowly opened one eye and turned his head to glance at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It was 6:30 in the morning; Jack and Crow were probably still asleep.

Yusei rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, but he couldn't. Strangely, he didn't feel tired, and something at the back of his mind just wouldn't let him sleep. So he sat up and rolled his shoulders, stretching his muscles. After climbing out of bed, he changed from the black shirt and shorts he always wore to bed to his jeans and the black shirt with the red symbol. The Signer walked over to the open window, and he could hear the morning doves and pigeons cooing as they flew around the empty square. The sun had not yet peaked over the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, so everything was cast in a long, dark shadow. The Signer could see that he was not the only one up early; a couple of people were hobbling across the pavement on their way to work, and a few of the shops were starting to open.

Yusei's mind wondered to Akiza, and he wondered if she was awake, and what she was seeing of the beautiful morning. She was probably getting ready for another day at the academy...

Akiza... the academy...

The prom!

Yusei, who had just been leaning against the windowsill, straightened so suddenly that he smacked his head on the low window frame. The teen yelled out of more surprise than pain, rubbing the top of his head gingerly, but he hardly noticed the pain. He gazed out the window without really seeing anything, stunned by the sudden recollection of what today was, and what the night would bring.

Today was the duel academy prom!

And he would be going to prom with Akiza Izinski!

Yusei stumbled back and sat hard in his desk chair. Today was the day! Time had gone by so fast, while at the same time it seemed to have dragged on. How was that even possible?

He looked down at his desk to find that picture that he had bought at the amusement park; he and Akiza were sitting in the front seats of a roller coaster that was about to plunge down a 50 foot dive. Yusei picked up the picture and held it in his hands, smiling at the memories it brought to his mind. The two duelists had grasped hands tightly as the roller coaster had made its climb, and Yusei could just barely see their clasped fingers beneath the restraining bar. They both wore almost identical expressions of exhilaration and excitement as the wind pulled their hair back, making Akiza's long front bangs trail behind her and Yusei's hair look even more crazily spiked. Akiza's face was flushed with excitement and her lips were pulled back in an open smile as she both screamed and laughed. Yusei was looking sideways at her, watching her reaction with a peculiar sparkle in his eye, as he too laughed.

More than a week ago, Yusei would have studied the picture carefully, wondering what it was he saw in his expression. He probably would've stared at it for hours, analyzing it, trying to decode the mystery. Yusei laughed softly; it was no mystery now. He had figured out what that sparkle was the moment he laid eyes on the picture. In fact, he had figured it out a week ago, after he had finally gotten the nerve to ask Akiza to prom. It had taken him long enough to figure it out; he had kept it deep within his heart ever since the day he first met Akiza.

It was love.

But would it last? Yusei had seen and experienced enough betrayal and heart-breaking loss to know that things like this didn't last forever, and that had made him cautious. He did not, under any circumstances, want to risk his relationship with the rose duelist. If he ended up hurting her, he didn't think he would ever forgive himself.

Not only that, but he was absolutely terrified of losing her the way he had lost Kalin and Jack back at the Satellite, the way he had very nearly lost Akiza when Sayer unlocked her powers during her second duel with Misty. He still shuddered when he looked back on that day; back then, he had been more terrified than he would have ever cared to admit.

But Yusei also knew that if they stayed the way they were, they would never find out if this a relationship would work out. He, at least, would have spent the rest of his life wondering about what could have been. It was a long shot, but he knew they would regret it if they didn't at least try. There was no time like the present to see if this would work, and prom had provided the perfect opportunity. Akiza, to Yusei's enormous relief, seemed willing to go for it. If she was ready, than so was he. He knew that he would do anything to make Akiza happy, anything to protect her, and he hoped that Akiza knew this and felt the same way about him.

He would trust Akiza with his life.

Now it was time to trust her with his heart.

The dark-haired Signer had no idea what would happen after tonight, but strangely enough, he was okay with that. Whatever will be will be, and Yusei would have to take whatever he got. But he was determined to make tonight a night to remember, without any worries or fears, and he greatly hoped that Akiza would have a great time with him. He wasn't even worried about the dance anymore.

After all, Yusei knew how to dance.

Yes, that's right. While Akiza and her friends had been making their preparations, Yusei, Jack, and Crow had been taking... cue shudder ... _dance lessons_. Jack's old dueling opponent, Romero Rodriguez, had been more that happy to help them with their foot work (Yusei desperately hoped Jack hadn't told his date, Carly Carmine - she would've had a field day with that scoop!). The ex-duelist-now-fashion-designer had even made Crow and Yusei tuxedos to wear for the occasion, which were, to Crow's greatest pleasure, free of charge. _"Anything for friends of Jack Atlas!"_ Romero had said when showing them the tuxes _("Being around Romero is a high enough price anyway!"_ an annoyed Jack had later told them). There had been no need to make Jack a new suit; he had decided to stick with the one he wore for the WRGP opening.

The dance lessons themselves hadn't been nearly as horrible as Yusei had thought they would be, but he would never want to go through them again. It had been really awkward at first, but the three duelist had eventually got the hang of it, and now the dancing was almost like second nature to them. Romero had not only taught them ballroom dancing; he taught them some modern day line dances like The Cha-Cha Slide, The Electric Slide, Footloose, The Cupid Shuffle, 500 Miles, and Thriller (Yusei still couldn't believe that there was now a line dance to Michael Jackson! Who took the time to makes these up, anyway?) He had also shown them how to square dance, and he had taught them a few jazz dance moves. _"You never know what might come up at a dance as big as this!" _Romero had told them wisely.

Over all, the worst part about the lessons was actually Romero himself. He had been just as annoying as Jack had said: _"He's loud, big-talking, over-confident, self absorbed, pushy, and just down right annoying."_ Yusei could add several other things onto the list, and most of them weren't exactly rated G. Romero had an extremely swollen head, and an ego as big as his three-stories-tall-200-feet-wide mansion. And he _NEVER SHUT UP!_ He was always either talking about how he was so handsome he could put a Greek god to shame, or about all of the duels he had won in his days as a champion (before Jack came around and kicked his butt, anyway). The thing that really ticked Yusei off was how Romero treated them like lesser duelists, trainees, rookies, like they had never had any real experience in duels. HA! Yusei would've loved to have told Romero everything the three of them had been through, not only in the Fortune Cup, but in all the duels they had been in with Kalin during the reign of the Enforcers in Satellite, all the terrifying beasts they had faced when dueling the Dark Signers, and the more recent trouble with monsters that could absorb Synchro monsters, but Yusei held his tongue. Crow had felt the same as Yusei, but the three of them agreed that it was best to keep quiet (Crow had also suggested throwing Romero out a window, which both Yusei and Jack thought was the better idea, even though they would never actually do it). Yusei Fudo was not a man easily annoyed, but Romero Rodriguez really got under his skin.

It was all good now, though; Yusei had satisfied himself when he had dueled Romero after lessons one day. _"Let me show you how a true champion can duel!"_ Romero had boasted when he challenged Yusei. And Yusei had thoroughly enjoyed kicking Romero's butt in one turn. At least that made Romero shut up about his dueling skills – or lack thereof.

Despite his irritation with Romero, Yusei decided that the lessons had been worth it. At least he knew that he wouldn't make a complete idiot out of himself at prom. The raven-haired teen also hoped that Akiza would be impressed. As long as she had a good time tonight, everything would be worth it.

Yusei finally tore his gaze away from the picture in his hands and looked up at the clock. Wow – it was already 6:45! He had been sitting there for fifteen minutes. The Signer put down the picture and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. Then, after closing the window, he walked out of his room, thinking that he might as well get breakfast started. Crow would be up in a little bit to work, and Jack usually got up some time after him. Yusei climbed down the ladder that went into their makeshift kitchen and got to work. He turned on the coffee maker and started a pot of coffee, and then he gathered the ingredients to make omelets. They were easy enough; Yusei wasn't exactly a master chef, but he had learned a few things from watching Martha cook. He was just cracking eggs into a bowl when there was a knock at the door.

Yusei turned around at the noise and frowned. Who would come to call this early in the morning? He wiped the egg goop off of his hands and left the kitchen, walking down a short set of stairs into the garage. The door was at the other end of the garage, and even as Yusei approached, another loud knock sounded on the other side. Yusei slowly pulled open the door.

"Hey, Yusei. Long time no see."

Yusei's jaw dropped. The man standing outside the door was about his height, wearing a brown trench coat over a light-blue cotton t-shirt and a harmonica around his neck. His elbow length, ice blue hair framed his pale face, and the large Criminal mark over his eye added to the man's mysterious, dangerous look. But his eyes gave it away. The man had calm, clever, golden eyes that were kind and full of energy, and Yusei would recognize them anywhere.

"Kalin!" He exclaimed with surprise and happiness. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," Kalin shrugged. "I was in town and I thought I'd drop by for a visit." He stuck his head through the door and breathed in through his nose. "Do I smell coffee?"

"Yeah, I was just getting breakfast started," Yusei answered. "Jack and Crow aren't awake yet, but they should be soon. Why don't you come in?"

"Thanks," Kalin replied, stepping through the door. Yusei shut the door behind him, and turned to show his old friend to the kitchen.

"So how's the new engine coming?" Kalin asked conversationally.

"Oh, ya know, it's coming. I think we're getting close to finishing it."

"That's good. Will it be ready by the WRGP?"

"It should be. We've finally started making some progress with it."

"That's no surprise," Kalin said with a smile as the climbed up the stairs. "You are, after all, probably the best mechanic in New Domino City."

Yusei smiled at the compliment. Kalin sat down at the table in the kitchen and propped his feet up on one of the extra chairs. "So what's cooking, Yusei?"

"Ham and cheese omelets." Yusei returned to the counter and continued mixing the eggs. "Would you like one?"

"Sure, that'd be great," Kalin replied, and then he picked up his harmonica and began playing a light, happy tune. Yusei couldn't help but smile; it was great to see Kalin back to normal.

It had been years since Yusei had seen him acting so happy and calm. That had been back when the two of them, along with Jack and Crow, had created the duel group, the Enforcers. They had all been dueling to keep Satellite safe from the duel gangs that rampaged through the streets. But Kalin had let it go to his head and ended up becoming just as bad as the duel gangs. He challenged Sector Security, and in doing so, ended up in the Facility. Kalin had lost everything, and he had blamed Yusei, because he thought Yusei had sold him out to security. Full of anger and betrayal, Kalin had allowed himself to become a Dark Signer, and set out to send Yusei to the Netherworld. Yusei still looked back on those days and shuddered. When he had finally convinced Kalin that he had been trying to save him the whole time, it had been too late.

Soon after that, Yusei, along with Jack and Crow, dueled Goodwin and brought all of the Dark Signers back from the Netherworld, their normal selves again. But Kalin had kept some of the memories of his days in the service of darkness, including the bit where he had tried to kill Yusei. His guilt had overwhelmed him, and he was haunted night and day by the desire to be punished. He ended up going to Crash Town, a town ruled by two opposing duel gangs. Every night at sun down, he would duel some unlucky soul and send him to work in the mines, and every night, Kalin hoped he would lose. But he was so enslaved by dueling that he couldn't make himself lose on purpose.

Finally, a woman named Barbara called upon Yusei for help, and Yusei ended up dueling and defeating Kalin. He and Barbara had planned to get Kalin out of there before he was taken away, but Barbara had double-crossed him, secretly working for her husband, Lotten, and Yusei and Kalin ended up being sent to the mines. The two friends had managed to escape, but imprisonment in the mines hadn't been the only thing Kalin had escaped fro; with the help of two orphans, West and Nico, and a brave battle against Lotten, Kalin was freed from his torment and enslavement to dueling, and he could finally enjoy it again. He stayed in Crash Town and helped to rebuild it, finally feeling at peace with himself.

But now, Kalin was sitting in Yusei's kitchen, playing his harmonica. There had been only slight changes in his personality, due to everything he had been through: he was quieter and more reserved, not as ambitious, and a bit more serious. Even with these changes, Yusei was very happy to be on good terms with his old friend again, but he wondered what had brought Kalin to New Domino City in the first place.

Before he could ask, Kalin stopped playing and looked up at him.

"So, what's this I hear about you and that red-haired Signer going to prom together?"

Yusei whirled around, almost knocking the pan of cooking omelets off of the stove, and practically shouted, "How the heck do you know about that?"

Kalin laughed at Yusei's reaction. "You don't think that the only friends I have in New Domino are you, Jack and Crow, do you?"

Yusei frowned. "What do you mean? Who did you talk to?"

"No one in particular. I also heard that Jack was going with Carly. Is that true too?"

"Who's telling you these things?"

"Calm down, Yusei, you'll find out soon enough," Kalin smiled a knowing, secretive smile that left Yusei burning with curiosity. But the Signer knew that Kalin wasn't going to give him a straight answer, so he continued on with the conversation.

"Yeah, it's true. Jack and I have dates. So what?"

Kalin shrugged again. "Nothing. Just trying to keep up with what's been going on. Apparently, a lot has happened since we last saw each other in Crash Town."

Both boys turned as they heard a couple of doors shut upstairs and footsteps echoed down the hall. Crow was the first to descend the ladder, and then Jack followed him. Both boys were still in their sleep clothes with their hair ruffled and sleep in their eyes.

"Morning, Yus'," Crow yawned.

"Morning," Yusei greeted his friends with a smile.

"I thought I heard another voice down here," Jack said, looking around the kitchen. "Who're you talking to-"

His gaze landed and Kalin, who had dropped his harmonica and stood up. Kalin smiled as he saw Jack's eyes grow wide. Crow noticed Jack's reaction and followed his gaze.

"Kalin?" Crow cried. "You're here?"

"It would appear that I am, since I'm standing in your kitchen," Kalin said, walking toward the two stunned duelists. "It's good to see you guys."

"Yeah, it's good to see you too!" Crow exclaimed, clasping hands with Kalin. Turning to Jack, Kalin said, "We were just talking about you, Jack. What's this I hear about you going to prom with a certain reporter I know?"

Crow laughed as Jack's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "How do YOU know about that?"

"That's what I've been wondering!" Yusei put in as he began putting the freshly made omelets on plates.

"You guys will find out soon enough, don't worry," Kalin replied. He sat back down in his chair as Yusei carried the slightly steaming omelets over to the table. Jack grabbed some forks out of a drawer and Crow took some mugs out of the cupboard. Soon, the four duelists were talking and laughing together, the way they did before they all split off back in Satellite. It was as though none of that had ever happened. That gave Yusei a feeling that today was going to be a great day.

Akiza had a feeling that today was going to be a great day.

Classes had been canceled, as everyone was to pitch in to help set up for prom, which would take place in the academy's ball room. Akiza hadn't even known that there was a ballroom until today, and as she looked around, she couldn't help but wonder why it hadn't been in use for so long. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, and white walls had recently been repainted so the paint shined in the light, and the light-wood floor had been mopped and polished and buffed to look brand new. In each corner of the room, there was a tall, white, round pillar, and a small stage was centered between the pillars at the far end of the room.

At that moment, all the Duel Academy students were helping with preparations for the big night. The theme for prom was "Rose Garden", and everyone had been put into groups to help get the Academy ready. One group of kids were sweeping the stage and shaking the dust out of the red velvet curtains. Another group was hanging twinkling lights up along the walls, the high windows, and the edge of the stage. Other students were helping to put out a red carpet that would lead from the driveway at the front of the academy to the ballroom door. Still another group was setting up tables at the back corners of the room for the prom attendees to sit. An archway made of colorful roses was being set up above the ballroom door by another group. There were also other groups in the kitchens, helping to prepare the food, and in the music room, helping to compile together some music.

Akiza, along with Luna and Leo, was part of the group helping with other decorations. Vases of elegant roses had already been set on each of the round tables, and she and the twins were now standing on a ladder, wrapping a rose garland around one of the pillars. Akiza was at the top of the ladder, hooking the garland up so it would stay in place, and Luna and Leo were below her, wrapping the ends of the garland around the pillar. The same would be done with the other three pillars. Large pots of rose bushes were going to be lined along with walls, and the twinkling lights would add a sense of beauty and serenity to the academy's own garden paradise. Akiza loved flowers, especially roses, and she had a feeling that the ballroom would look absolutely stunning.

"This is going to look absolutely stunning, don't you think, Akiza?" Luna called up to her, speaking Akiza's thoughts.

"I'm sure it will, Luna," Akiza replied, and excited smile on her lips. "It's going to be amazing!"

"What do you think, Leo?" Luna asked her twin. Leo shrugged.

"It'll look nice, I guess," he said, trying to sound unconcerned. In reality, he agreed with the two psychics entirely, but there was no way he would let them know that. Trying to keep up his "manly" facade, he quickly changed the subject. "So, Luna and I stopped by Yusei, Jack and Crow's apartment this morning! You'll never guess who we saw there!"

"Who?" Akiza asked, looking down at the twin's identical faces.

"Kalin Kessler!" The twins answered at the same time.

"Kalin? Really?" Akiza cried. What on Earth could he be doing in New Domino City? Last she had heard, he was still helping to fix up Crash Town after Yusei rescued him.

"Weird, huh?" Luna commented as the twins reached the bottom of the pillar. "Him showing up the night of prom?"

"Strange coincidence!" Leo agreed, tightening the garland around the pillar and plugging it into the wall. The lights in the garland lit up and began to twinkle like stars. Akiza watched them, her eyes furrowed and deep in thought.

"I'm not sure it's a coincidence, Leo," She finally said. "But I don't know why he would show up now, of all times."

"Hmm," Luna hummed thoughtfully as she jumped off the ladder. Both she and Leo rushed forward to hold the ladder steady as Akiza climbed down. "Maybe he-"

"WAIT!" A familiar voice called from behind. Akiza stopped her descent and whirled around to see Carly rushing toward them, camera in hand.

"Akiza, don't move! Stay where you are!" She called again, jerking to a halt a few yards behind them. "This is a perfect photo op! I'm taking pictures of prom set up for the paper! Do you mind if I take a picture of you guys?"

The reporter said all of this extremely fast, but Akiza managed to follow it; after all the time she had spent with Carly, she had gotten used to her energetic ways.

"Sure, Carly, we'd be happy to!" Akiza said.

"Ok, thanks!" Carly raised her camera. "Just pretend you're still working. Don't look like your trying to pose."

The three students did as commanded, and Carly snapped the picture.

"Thanks you guys!" Carly chirped again as Akiza climbed down the ladder. "So, Akiza, we're all meeting at your house to get ready for tonight, right?"

"That's correct," Akiza answered with a smile. All the girls had agreed the night before that the Izinski residence would be the best place to prepare for the event. Misty had told them that she had already set up transportation for them and the boys so they would arrive at the academy "In style", as she put it. The other girls had pressed the super-model for details, but she insisted that it be a surprise. These past couple of weeks had just been full of surprises.

"And Crow's coming to pick me up on his runner, right?" Leo asked. He decided to stay with the other boys instead of hanging out with a bunch of girls while they dressed up. The young boy could just imagine the scene, and it made him want to puke.

"That's what he said this morning," Luna reminded him. Leo nodded, satisfied that he was not doomed to a night surrounded by lace and bows and make-up and all that other girly junk.

Before the conversation could continue, an unfamiliar voice called out, "Excuse me, Ms. Akiza?"

Akiza looked up and then nearly fell backwards into the ladder from shock. Her eyes, locked onto the speaker's, were wide and her mouth fell open slightly.

"Toby Tredwell?" she cried out.

"Hey, you recognize me this time," Toby said cheerfully. Misty's younger brother was a couple of years younger than Akiza, but he was about her height. His longish brown hair was also similar to Akiza's, minus the hair piece, and his eyes the same color as his sister's. His smile was friendly and his eyes were bright, but Akiza could see a sickly, pale tinge to his skin color, and he still looked a little fragile after his imprisonment on the Arcadia Movement's secret island. He seemed to be feeling better; at least he was out of the apartment now.

"Well, yes of course!" Akiza said, stepping toward the young boy. Just seeing him brought a lot of sharp, painful memories to Akiza's mind, and she immediately felt the burden of guilt of what she had let happen to Misty's little brother.

"I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you. Toby, I'm really, really, really sorry about-"

"Hey, don't worry about it!" Toby interrupted with a light laugh. "I didn't come over here for you to apologize! Misty explained what had happened since Sayer shipped me away, and I wanted to thank you for freeing my sister from the Dark Signers."

"Really?" Akiza said incredulously. Would the surprises never end?

"Yeah, of course!" Toby replied. "I also wanted to know if you'd be able to help me with my psychic powers. I'm not sure if I can control them yet, and Misty said you had found a way to control yours."

"I think we could work something out," Akiza responded with a warm smile.

Toby held out his hand. "No hard feelings?"

Akiza took it immediately. The two psychics shook hands, and in that moment, a great friendship started.

"So what are you doing here, Toby?" Leo asked curiously. "Are you coming back to the academy?"

"Yeah, I should be starting classes again next week," Toby answered him, pulling at the collar of his blue Duel Academy uniform. "I just came today to see if I could help with the set up for prom. I'm going to be the DJ."

"You? Really?" Leo cried. Toby smiled down at the young boy and nodded.

"Well, we could really use some help getting the rest of the garlands up on the pillars," Luna said. "I mean, if you wanted to help."

"Sure! I'd be glad to help!" Toby said, stepping forward.

"Are you sure that's okay, Toby?" Akiza fretted. "You don't want to over-stretch yourself too soon, and to be honest, you still don't look completely healthy."

Toby smiled again. "I think I can manage." Then he looked down at the youngest Signer with a curious look. "Say, are you a psychic too?"

"Uh, yeah," Luna said shyly, looking away from the tall, incredibly cute boy. "I guess I am. How did you know?"

Toby gave her a reassuring smile and shrugged. "I don't know," he replied warmly. "I can just tell that you're something special."

Luna beamed as her cheeks flushed pink, and Leo made gagging noises behind her back. Akiza managed to hold down a laugh as she turned to Carly. "We could always use more help, if you would like to join us, Carly."

"Sure, I can help," Carly responded brightly, stowing her camera in her bag. "I think I've got enough pictures now, anyway."

The group moved on to the next pillar, and Toby started off a whole new conversation by asking Akiza, "So, don't you and Luna have some kind of Dragon marking or something? What is that all about?"

"Thanks you so much for all of your help, Mr. Fudo! I don't know what we would do without you."

"Really, Mrs. Rhodes, it was no problem."

Yusei stood before a middle-aged woman on the porch of her house, his tool box in one hand and his newest pay check in the other. He had just finished his last fix-it job for the day, which had been a particularly troublesome water pipe. Just in the nick of time, too; it was almost time to meet Romero at his estate to get his tux for prom.

Prom. Just the thought of it sent a thrill through the young duelist. It was only a few hours away! Yusei was once again torn between wanting time to both speed up and slow down. At the moment, however, what he really wanted to do was to be on his way.

If only he could get away from this extremely chatty old woman!

"So, are you going to that dance at the academy tonight?" Mrs. Rhodes asked conversationally.

"Actually, yes, I am," Yusei answered politely, trying not to let his impatience show. "And I have someone I need to meet about that, so-"

"Do you have a date?"

"Yes, I do, and it's someone I really care about, and I want everything to be just right, so I need to-"

"Ah, young love!" Mrs. Rhodes sighed, completely ignorant to Yusei's growing impatience. "I remember the stories my aunt used to tell me about a young man she met at school! This was back when Duel Academy was on an island and the students were split into groups according to skill. Aunt Alexis was an Obelisk Blue, and there was this Slifer Red boy that she met a couple of years after she enrolled at the Academy. She actually ended up marrying him later in life! Oh yes, I am very fond of dear uncle Ja-"

"Excuse me, madam, but I really need to go!" Yusei interrupted. He tried to keep his voice light and happy, but he could not hide a note of urgency.

"Oh, of course, dear," Mrs. Rhodes said with a smile, not at all injured by Yusei's abruptness. "Thanks again, and have fun!"

But Yusei was already halfway down the drive.

"Thanks!" Yusei called over his shoulder before jumping onto his awaiting runner and gunning the engine. "I will!"

Yusei sped down the street and merged into the traffic on the interstate, going as fast as law would allow and then some. It was ten till 5, and it took about fifteen minutes to drive to the apartment from where he was. Yusei pushed the bike to go even faster, weaving through traffic as quickly and carefully as possible, but still receiving honks and angry shouts from other drivers. The Signer didn't know why he was so amped up – maybe the anticipation of prom had finally gotten to him.

A sudden beeping noise startled Yusei. Someone was trying to call him through the headset he had installed in his helmet. Probably Jack, Crow or Kalin, wondering where the heck he was. Yusei hit a button on the side of his helmet where his ear was, opening the connection.

"Hello?"

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Yus'?"

The voice echoed strangely in his ears, and Yusei realized that it was because he could hear the speaker right behind him, not just through the helmet.

Yusei turned and saw a black-and-yellow runner making its way toward them. The runner bore not one, but two riders: Crow, obviously driving, and Leo, sitting behind the fiery-haired duelist, dressed in his usual white shorts and jacket and clutching the back of Crow's vest for dear life.

"Hey, Yusei!" Leo yelled, raising a hand for a split second to wave at him. Yusei laughed quietly as he waved back; he could tell that it was Leo's first time on a duel runner. The young boy was wearing an expression of both terror and exhilaration, laughing as Crow weaved through the traffic and pulled up next to Yusei.

"Really, Yusei, where's the fire?" Crow joked again.

"It's almost five," was Yusei's reply. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just delivered my last package and picked Leo up from the Tops, so I'm set," the delivery boy answered. "We'd better go make sure Kalin and Jack haven't killed each other."

Crow wasn't kidding, Yusei realized. That was a very real and dangerous possibility.

Both duelists increased their speed.

When they opened the garage door several minutes later, they were relieved to find everything quiet and normal. Jack was snoring softly on the couch, and Kalin was sitting on the floor next to a duel runner, which he had recently acquired and fixed in Crash Town. It was of a small build, made for maneuverability and speed more than show, and was painted black and blue, with a yellow lightning bolt painted on the side. Kalin called it The Lightning Streak. The blue-haired duelist was putting some tools back in a tool box. He looked around as the three boys entered and gave them a smile.

"I see you guys made it," said Kalin. He glanced up at the clock. "Just in time, too. Are we ready to go?"

"'We'?" Leo quoted. "You mean you're coming too?"

"Might as well," Kalin answered casually. "Got nothing better to do."

Yusei knew his friend was lying, or else hiding something, but he decided not to press the matter... yet. A) He knew Kalin wouldn't tell the truth until he wanted to, so there was no point in arguing, and b) there were plenty of other things Yusei had to worry about.

"We're ready when you are," The raven-haired teen replied. Kalin nodded and stood.

"Yo, Jack, Wake up!" he called, throwing a crumpled up piece of paper at the sleeping boy. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty, it's time to go!"

Jack twitched when the wad of paper bounced off his face. The former champion creaked open an eye and glared at the other four boys. "Whaddya want?" he mumbled.

"Come ON, Jack, it's time to go!" Yusei urged, unable to keep the impatience out of his voice. Jack smirked at him.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting up, cool your jets." Jack swung his legs over the side of the couch and grabbed his jacket, which had been thrown carelessly over a chair.

"Let's go, team," Kalin rallied as he grabbed his own coat, sounding, for a moment, like the leader he had once been. "Yusei's got a big date tonight, and he doesn't want to be late!"

Yusei felt the back of his neck grow warm as the other boys laughed. Crow clapped him on the back as they headed back to their waiting duel runners. "Relax, Yus', we're just messin' with ya! You need to loosen up a bit."

"At least one good thing will come out of today," Jack spoke as he powered up The Phoenix Whirlwind and pulled on his helmet. "After today, we'll never have to see Romero again!"

Yusei laughed, and his mood brightened considerably. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I hope that's not the only good thing, though."

"Don't worry, Yusei," Leo said reassuringly. "Today is going to be great!"

Yusei hoped he was right.

The five boys revved their engines and streaked out the door, one by one, and arrived at Romero's mansion about fifteen minutes later. Just like always, the old Butler was waiting for them at the door. He led the group to the living room, where Romero was waiting for them.

But Romero wasn't alone.

"_Officer TRUDGE_?" Crow, Yusei, Jack and Leo shouted in surprise.

Indeed, Yusei's enemy-turned-friend stood in the living room, talking to the fashion designer with his arms folded over his chest, wearing old jeans and a white, button-up cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The officer seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him.

"What the- What are YOU guys doing here?" He exclaimed.

"We could ask you the same thing!" Jack shot back.

"Oh, didn't I tell you more people would be coming, Trudge?" Romero laughed as he clapped a hand on the officer's should. "It must have slipped my mind! Sorry, old chap! You see, fellas, I was making a tuxedo for Trudge, just like I was for you, and he was coming over to try it on! You all apparently know each other, so I guess introductions aren't necessary! Anyways, it's good to see you three, as always! But who might this little guy be?"

"My name's Leo," The green-haired boy snapped, not at all happy about being called a 'little guy'. "I'm Yusei, Jack and Crow's friend."

"Oh, that is so sweet!" Romero exclaimed in a voice that was appropriate for talking to a toddler, but definitely not to Leo. "You remind me a lot of my little niece who lives in Venezuela! She has the cutest little dimples! You really should meet my children, I'm sure they'd love to have a new little friend to play with!"

"You're not going to the prom with us, are you, Leo?" Trudge asked. "I mean, aren't you a little young?"

"I'm almost thirteen!" Leo snapped angrily, getting extremely ticked off. "And all Duel Academy students are invited to the dance, and that includes me and Luna!"

"Ok, ok, sorry," Trudge muttered, waving the frazzled preteen down.

"You said 'us' before, Trudge," Crow pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to the prom too?"

"Well, I... yeah," Trudge answered a bit hesitantly. "I'm taking Mina."

"Oh, yeah, Akiza mentioned that before," Yusei recalled. "Congratulations."

"Then you must be Mr. Kessler, am I correct?" Romero butt in, striding forward and shaking Kalin's hand.

"Call me Kalin, please," Kalin replied with a smile.

"Yes, of course, as you wish! I just finished your tux last night, and I think you will be very pleased."

"I'm sure I will be," Kalin laughed good-naturedly. Yusei, Jack and Crow watched the scene with eyes as round as saucers and mouth gaping open.

"You guys _KNOW_ each other?" Jack practically yelled.

"You ordered a _TUX_?" Crow inquired.

"Kalin, what is going _ON_?" Yusei demanded. Romero laughed gleefully.

"Oh-HOH, you haven't told them! This is exciting, I do love secrets! I've never been very good at keeping them, though."

"I'll be sure to remember that," Kalin said, visibly losing confidence.

"_WHAT SECRET?_" Yusei, Jack and crow blurted out.

Behind them, Leo muttered to Trudge, "I'm _so_ glad I'm not a teenager yet!"

While the three duelists glared at the blue-haired boy, Romero had the sense to change the subject.

"Anyway, have any of you ever met Toby?"

All of them turned to the young man who, up until now, had gone virtually unnoticed. He had longish brown hair, pale eyes, and was wearing a duel academy uniform.

"Toby!" Leo greeted, running toward the boy.

"Toby?" Yusei repeated, the name ringing a bell. "As is Toby Tredwell? Misty's brother?"

"That's me," the boy said with a confident smile. "You must be Yusei Fudo! My sister and her friend, Akiza, have told me a lot about you! I've watched your duel at the Fortune Cup, like, a thousand times on DVR! I'm honored to finally meet you in person!"

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too," Yusei replied, shaking the boy's hand.

"Then you two must be Jack Atlas and Crow Hogan!" Toby continued, shaking the other boys' hands as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you both as well! And, of course, I know Leo from the academy!"

"That's right!" Leo replied happily, jumping up to give Toby a high-five.

Then Toby turned to Kalin.

"And it's good to see you again, Kalin," he said happily. "How have you been lately?"

"I've been alright," Kalin said with a shrug. "You seem to be doing a lot better, Toby. Good to see you up and about."

"You guys know each other too?" Leo cried incredulously. _When will the surprises end?_ Yusei wondered.

"Of course. We met-"

Toby hesitated. Out of the corner of his eyes, Yusei thought he saw Kalin shake his head at the younger boy.

"-we bumped into each other a while back," Toby finished.

Yusei narrowed his eyes at Kalin. What on earth was going on with him?

"Anyway, my sister set all of this up," Toby continued. "She's been helping the girls get ready for prom and though we could all travel as a group. She and Romero have transportation and everything all planned out."

"Okay," Yusei began slowly, still not understanding, "but why-"

"Now, come on, fellows, that's enough chit-chat!" Romero boomed, wrapping his arms tight around Jack's and Trudge's shoulders and steering them out into the hall. "We're losing precious daylight! I think it's time you saw your suits! They are some of the finest I've ever designer, and that, my friends, is saying something!"

Jack and Trudge, trapped under Romero's arms, exchanged unwilling glances before falling into step beside the fashion designer. Leo and Toby followed, chatting excitedly, and Crow and Yusei came behind them, leaving Kalin to take the caboose.

Yusei and Crow exchanged looks; there was no way they were letting Kalin off that easily. Both boys slowed their paces and moved further apart, allowing Kalin to come between them. Kalin didn't even notice the two boys surrounding him as he dug his hands deep in his coat pockets, whistling merrily to himself. Yusei and Crow glared daggers at the blue-haired duelist until he finally stopped whistling and looked up.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Alright, Kalin, spill. What's really going on here?" Crow spat at him. "What are you planning?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You showing up in New Domino City today wasn't a coincidence, was it? And neither is you knowing Romero and Toby!"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Kalin shrugged. He'd been shrugging a lot lately, and it was really starting to get on Yusei's nerves.

"What did Romero mean when he said that your tux was ready?" The raven-haired duelist demanded. "What tux? Kalin, are you going to the academy prom?"

Kalin shrugged again. "Maybe."

"Do you have a date?" Yusei pressed.

Kalin raised an eyebrow at his two friends. "You two are worse than teenage girls."

Yusei and Crow didn't care. "Do you?"

"So what if I do?" Kalin said in a nonchalant, bored tone, as though they were discussing the weather.

"Who is it?" Yusei and Crow yelped. Kalin allowed a small, secretive smile to cross his lips.

"You'll find out."

Yusei and Crow would have questioned more, but Romero chose that moment to butt in again. "Hey, you three, you're falling behind! Keep up, please!"

Yusei looked up and found that they really had fallen behind the group. Yusei threw Romero an irritated glance, but called back, "We're coming!"

"I'm getting a sense that Romero annoys you, Yusei," Kalin suggested with a chuckle.

"Just a little," Yusei muttered.

"Well," Crow said, brightening up a little, "at least he hasn't messed up my name yet!"

"Yusei! Kalin! Sparrow! Hurry up!"

"DARN IT!"

The Izinski household was in complete chaos that night. Akiza, Misty, Mina, Carly and Luna had taken over the top floor of the house to get ready for prom. The guys would arrive in Romero's limo, which would then take all of them to the academy, in an hour, and the five girls were scurrying around like squirrels, making sure everything was perfect.

Akiza was the most frantic one in the group. She had never, never, EVER gone to anything as fancy and formal and GIRLY as prom, and she had NO IDEA what she doing. This was the part of the night she had been dreading the most. The poor girl's nerves had already reached a breaking point, and she couldn't find a way to relax and calm down. It seemed as though there wasn't even any room left to breathe.

At that moment, though, Akiza was sitting perfectly still on a stool in front of her bathroom mirror. Misty was behind her, helping the poor psychic do her hair. Mina, Carly and Luna were in Akiza's bedroom, helping each other get ready; Misty had singled Akiza out as needing the most help.

"You really need to relax, Akiza," Misty said as she wrapped a lock of the psychic's hair around a curling iron.

"I am relaxed," Akiza said tensely.

"Don't try to lie to me, Akiza. You're face tells me everything."

Akiza sighed heavily, picking at the hem of her bathrobe. All of the girls were wearing bathrobes, as they were waiting to put their dresses on until everything else was done.

"What am I doing, Misty?" Akiza muttered. "I am so out of my league, here!"

"Do you mean prom, or do you mean going to the prom with Yusei?"

"... Both."

Misty put the curler down and pulled out a can of hairspray. Akiza held her breath as the super model sprayed the stuff over her hair (she was pretty sure that the five girls had created their own hole in the ozone layer with all the hairspray they'd used). Then Misty spun Akiza in the stool to face her.

"Akiza, you like Yusei, right?"

Akiza answered without hesitating. "You know I more than 'like' him, Misty."

Misty nodded. "And do you believe Yusei feels the same?"

Now Akiza hesitated. "I don't know, Misty. I hope so."

Misty gave Akiza a look that the rose duelist had become quite familiar with: the look that said "you poor, naïve soul".

"From what you've told me about this boy," The super model continued, "and from what I've seen of him myself, I can tell that Yusei is absolutely, completely, without a doubt head-over-heels for you. It's so obvious; I don't have to read his face to see it! Trust me, Akiza – you will not regret this night."

Akiza swallowed, not feeling completely reassured. Everyone had been saying that exact same thing, but the psychic didn't think she would be able to believe it until the moment was right there in front of her. But she nodded, hoping that it would satisfy her friend.

Misty smiled suddenly. "Now comes the part I've been looking forward to!"

Oh, no.

"What do you mean?" Akiza asked nervously.

The door opened and Carly, Mina and Luna all crowded into the bathroom. Akiza immediately noticed the make-up kit in Luna's hands and groaned.

"Oh, no..."

"I'll do her nails!" Carly volunteered, grabbing a bottle of nail polish and a manicure set.

"I got her feet," said Mina, claiming a bottle of foot lotion and some more polish.

"I can help pick out jewelry!" Luna chirped.

"I'll do her face," Misty said, a bright, excited gleam in her eyes as she began pulling make-up out of the kit. Akiza felt her face go pale.

"Is this all really necessary?" Akiza begged, looking apprehensively at what her friends were holding.

"Yes," they all answered at the same time.

"This is going to be your night, Akiza, and we're going to make sure you're the star of this show!" said a very determined Mina. "Don't worry – you're going to look absolutely stunning!"

"You can trust us, Akiza," Carly said reassuringly, grabbing one of Akiza's hands and pulling it towards her. "We know what we're doing."

"But-"

"Just close your eyes and relax, Akiza," Misty said soothingly. "It'll all be over soon enough."

Akiza finally submitted, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

"Alright, you win. Let's just get this over with."

It was about a quarter after eight. There was another beautiful sunset gleaming over the horizon, and the cold, night air of early spring was just settling in. Yusei was staring out the window, but his eyes didn't take anything in. His hands were clenched tight in his lap, and he sat stock still, every muscle in his body tense, his heart pounding beneath his ribs.

He, Jack, Crow, Kalin, Leo, Trudge and Toby were sitting in the back of a white limo, driven by Romero's butler. All of them were dressed in fancy tuxedos and suits made by Romero himself, and they all had to admit that in the area of fashion, Romero knew his stuff.

Yusei, Trudge and Kalin had stuck with the basic black tuxedo and white shirt, but each wore a different color bow tie: Yusei red, Trudge black, and Kalin light blue. Kalin looked the most different out of all of them, with his hair pulled back out of his face in a low pony tail. Crow had chosen a white tux with a black bow tie and shoes, and his hair was held back with a black head band, rather than his preferred leather one with the metal rings on it. Toby wore a deep-ocean blue tux with a matching bow tie. Leo had deviated from all the fancy stuff, and stuck with his own suit, which he wore for special occasion. Jack's outfit was the most extravagant of them all, of course; he wore the same suit he wore to the WRGP opening.

Plenty of conversation had flowed through the interior of the limo, but Yusei took no part of it. He sat, completely silence, his eyes glazed and glued to the dark-tinted window. He had never been this nervous in his nearly nineteen years of life; not during the fortune cup, not when he faced the Dark Signers and Ghost, not even when he faced the prospect of taking dance lessons.

Yusei was going to take Akiza Izinski, the love of his life, to a formal dance. And not just any formal dance; this was _Prom_. He wanted to make sure everything went perfect, that he wouldn't make Akiza regret coming with him, that he wouldn't make an idiot of himself, and that he hadn't taken the stupid freaking dance lessons for nothing. He had never wanted anything as badly as he wanted this night to go smoothly. But now, all the 'what ifs' and doubts and fears that he had been pushing to the side for the past couple of weeks came rushing upon him, consuming his mind. The poor boy was scared out of his wits, and he was trying his hardest not to show it.

Unfortunately for him, he had extremely good friends who knew him all too well.

"Yusei, are you all right?" Toby asked.

Yusei gave a curt nod, but didn't say a word.

"Are you sure?" Leo pressed. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"Leo's right, Yusei," Trudge put in, showing concern for his old arch-enemy. "You do look a little pale."

"That's the understatement of the year," said Crow. "Yusei, you look like a ghost!"

"I'm fine," Yusei croaked.

"Yeah right," Jack snapped, smirking at him from under his stupid Yankee Doodle hat. "I've never seen you so nervous! You seriously think you can show up at Akiza's house in this state?"

Yusei lowered his eyes, his bangs falling down to hide them.

There was a creak of leather as someone shifted in their seat. "Yusei? Come on, man, look at me."

Yusei slowly lifted his head to meet Kalin's gaze. He was leaning forward in his seat, sitting right in front of Yusei. His cold, molten gold eyes bore into Yusei's as he spoke in a low, soothing tone:

"Look Yusei, if you go into this worried about every little thing that can go wrong, you can guarantee that everything will go wrong. You're setting yourself up for failure, and you won't have any fun. I know it seems hard, but you need to relax and just go with whatever happens. If you try and force the fun into it, it'll be a complete disaster. Understand?"

The two would-be brothers looked at each other for the longest time, and then Yusei gave a small nod. What Kalin said made sense... sort of.

"Good," Kalin said with a smile, leaning back slightly. "Now, take a deep breath... come on, do it. That's it. Unclench your hands a bit too, before your knuckles break through your skin. That's better. You can do this, right?"

Yusei nodded, a small ghost of a smile appearing on his lips.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," he said to no one in particular. Everyone laughed, and Crow punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"It'll be fine, Yusei, don't worry," the red-head said reassuringly.

The limo stopped. Yusei looked out the window and saw the porch lights of the Izinski house shining through the darkness.

"We're here," the butler announced.

"They're here!" Luna cried, staring out of Akiza's bedroom window. All of the girls had finished getting ready and were grouped in Akiza's room. Akiza felt her heart jump into her throat and a small squeak escaped her lips. She took a couple of steps back, a little unsteady in her new high-heels, but Misty and Carly caught her arms before she could escape.

"Right on time," Misty said with satisfaction. "Luna, why don't you got meet them at the door? You know the plan."

"Right!" Luna nodded and skipped out the door.

"Now remember, everyone," Misty spoke to the room at large. "We'll go down one at a time. I'll go first. Mina, count to twenty, and then follow. Carly will be next, and Akiza will go last."

"Why do I have to go last?" Akiza protested. She tried to keep the whine out of her voice. She failed miserably.

"Because we're saving the best for last!" Mina said brightly. "Like we said, out of all of us, this is your big night! You're the star, and we're going to present you as such."

"Don't worry, Akiza. You look amazing," Carly praised, squeezing her hand. Akiza smiled gratefully at the young reporter and returned the pressure. Carly might be a bit of a spaz sometimes, but she had been amazing support for the young psychic, and the two of them had become very close friends.

"Is everyone ready?" Misty asked.

The other girls nodded or gave an affirmative, except for Akiza. Everyone waited patiently until she finally took a deep calming breath and said, "Yes, I'm ready."

As if on cue, a knock came at the door and Toby poked his head through.

"They're ready for you," he said with a smile.

Misty smiled brightly and drew herself up to her full height, walking confidently and gracefully to the door. "I'll see you all downstairs!"

Yusei, Jack, Kalin and Trudge were lined up at the foot of the stairs, shifting nervously and casting anxious looks up the stairs. Toby had just gone to fetch the girls. Crow and the twins stood off to the side with Akiza's parents and Martha. It had been a pleasant surprise for all of the boys to find that Martha had taken the time to see them off to prom. Both she and Mr. Izinski were holding cameras, and Mrs. Izinski stood beside her husband, bursting with pride and excitement for her daughter. Crow and Leo wore slightly bored expressions on their faces, but Luna was bubbling with excitement. The youngest signer looked much more grown up than usual, wearing a mauve colored dress and matching flats, and a small amount of make up.

The calm confidence Yusei had experienced in the limo was now a distant memory. His hands were clammy and he kept opening and closing them at random. He could feel Mr. Izinski, being the protective father of a beautiful daughter, staring him down. Yusei couldn't lift his eyes to meet them. What was he doing here? Was he really going to be able to go through with this? What if something goes wrong? What if he ends up losing Akiza's friendship forever?

Yusei took a deep, calming breath and tried to relax. _Come on, Yusei, get a grip!_ he told himself. _Just go with the flow. Whatever will be will be. Just relax and have fun, no matter what happens. It's not the end of the world._

_No,_ another voice in his head said, _but it's pretty close._

Yusei told that voice to shut up.

There was a click of heels and Yusei looked up. Misty Tredwell was coming down the stairs with the grace and confidence of a super model, her arm looped through her brother's. She was wearing a long, simple-but-elegant spaghetti strap dress made of shimmering gold fabric that reminded Yusei of an Egyptian goddess. The skirt of her dress split in a V shape halfway down the bottom left side, showing a bit of her long legs and her feet, which strapped in gold high-heels. Her silky black hair was loose, as always, and the jewel on her forehead was sparkling gold.

Yusei supposed she was beautiful, but then again, she was a super model. What else was to be expected? What Yusei really wondered was what she was doing here. He knew that she had been helping the girls prepare for prom, but not that she herself was going. Who was her...

Wait a minute...

Misty reached the bottom of the stairs. Yusei was just putting two-and-two together when Misty released Toby and walked straight toward...

KALIN!

"Good evening," Misty greeted with a flirtatious smile as Kalin took both of her hands in his.

"Good evening, Misty," the blue-haired teen replied. There was a light in Kalin's eyes that Yusei had never seen in him before as he gazed at the woman before him. He pressed his lips to her hands.

"You're looking even more beautiful than usual tonight. I didn't know that was possible."

"You're sweet," Misty cooed. Then they kissed each other lightly on the lips.

Yusei thought his eyes were going to pop out of his skull. Jack's face was appropriate to that of a shocked cartoon character. Luna squealed loudly, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. Leo's eyes bugged out for a second, and then he began making gagging noises at the sight of obvious affection before him. Trudge made a wild gesture and shouted "_WHAT_ the-." Crow actually fell on the floor. Martha and Mr. Izinski began clicking madly with their cameras, and Mrs. Izinski gave a reaction similar to Luna's.

Kalin and Misty both laughed, still holding hands.

"This is even better than I thought it would be!" Kalin chuckled.

"YOU!" Crow sputtered from the floor, pointing accusingly at the blue-haired lover boy. "And MISTY? But- what- when- how?"

"We'll explain later," Misty said, turning so that she was standing next to Kalin, facing the stairs. "I think Mina should be coming down soon.

As if on cue, Mina Symington appeared at the top of the stairs. Trudge's mouth popped open in amazement. Mina wore a floaty, silvery-blue dress with spaghetti straps like Misty's, except for the light, translucent fabric that was stitched onto the straps, making short sleeves. The same fabric overlaid the skirt of the dress, opening in an upside-down V with the point at the waistline, making the fabric flow behind her as she walked. If ice had a color, this dress had it. She was wearing silver heels, also similar to Misty's, on her feet. Strings of diamonds dangled from her ear lobes, and a simple, silver necklace around her neck.

Mina smiled shyly, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement as her feet met the bottom of the stairs. Trudge stood and stared, completely tongue-tied. Yusei couldn't blame him – he had never seen Jack's secretary look so beautiful. He glance over at Jack and saw in the blond boy's raised eyebrows and surprised expression that the same went for him

"Hi, Trudge," mina said hesitantly, blushing under the officer's gaze.

Trudge blinked several times and managed to stutter "H-Hello, Mina."

"So... what do you think?" She asked, spinning around in a circle, making the dress twirl around her ankles.

"I-I-" Trudge stammered again, but, with a violent shake of his head, regained his composure. He took her hand, looked deep into her eyes, and said "You look amazing, Mina."

Mina beamed at him, her eyes still sparkling.

"Ok," Jack spoke suddenly, staring at Mina. "Who are you and what have you done with my secretary?"

Trudge glared at Jack jealously, and Mina gave him a small, confused smile. Did she just receive a compliment from Jack Atlas? Since when did that ever happen?

"Thanks, Jack... I think."

Then she turned, saw Kalin and Misty, and gasped. "Misty! This- this is your mystery date?"

"This is him," Misty said proudly as Kalin held her close.

"But how-"

"We'll explain everything later, don't worry," Misty reassured her, and Mina bit back her tongue.

There was a sudden, sharp intake of breath, and everyone looked around at Jack, who was staring up the stairs, his eyes wide with astonishment. Yusei thought he looked as though a miracle had unfolded right before his eyes. Yusei followed his gaze and found that his guess was pretty close.

Carly Carmine was descending the stairs now, a slight spring in her unusually graceful step. She was wearing a brand new, Robin's-egg blue dress with a full – but not ridiculously wide - skirt and fancy stitching on the waist and bodice; it was similar to what Cinderella wore for the ball to meet Prince Charming. The sleeves were short and wrapped around the top of her arms, leaving her shoulders bare. A simple choker necklace with a large diamond dangling from it was wrapped around her neck and she wore blue, closed-toed high heels on her feet.

But the biggest transformation was her face. The young reporter had never been one for make-up, unlike Misty and Mina, so seeing her with make-up on was different; she wore soft, blue eye shadow with a little black eye-liner and mascara. But the strangest thing was the fact that her eyes were even visible. She wasn't wearing her glasses, and her gray eyes shone brightly with excitement and anticipation. It was astounding how much prettier she looked with these seemingly small changes.

Jack continued to stare with an open-mouthed, googily-eyed, cartoon-character-type expression as Carly descended the remaining few steps, and then his face broke out into a true, genuine smile. Not a single living soul in that room had EVER seen Jack Atlas as amazed and happy as he did then.

"Carly?" He finally spoke, staring in wonder at the girl before him.

"Jack," Carly replied nervously.

"You look... I mean... you're so... I... wow!" The former champion stuttered. Yusei, Crow and Kalin, who all knew Jack best, stared at him, trying hard not to laugh. Jack was never the type to look like a blabbing idiot, but he had just done it, and the expression on his face made it all the more strange; it was appropriate to someone who had just been conked on the head with a baseball bat.

Carly blushed, "Um, thanks, Jack," she said quietly, looking away in pleased embarrassment.

Jack tried desperately to recover himself. "No, really, you look... wow! But how come you aren't wearing your glasses?"

"Oh, well, um, Misty kind of convinced me to give contact lenses a try," Carly explained nervously, raising a hand to her face self-consciously. She looked anxiously up at Jack. "Is that okay?"

"It's perfect," Jack said, beaming at the young reporter. Then he got down on one knee and kissed her hand lightly, just like Cinderella's Prince would have done. "You're perfect."

Carly looked as though Christmas had come early. Her smile was positively radiant, and she was blushing furiously, completely at loss for words.

Yusei turned away from the two of them and looked up the stairs. Akiza should be next to come down. But she hadn't appeared yet. Where was she?

Akiza stood in the hall, her back against the wall right next to the stairs. She was practically hyperventilating. She knew it was her turn to go, that Yusei was waiting for her, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her feet to move. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her to run back into her room and lock the door. She couldn't do this. There was NO WAY she could do this!

The young psychic managed to take a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She remembered the comforting words of her friends, repeating them in her head:

"_Yusei is absolutely, completely, without a doubt head over heels for you." _

"_This is going to be your night, Akiza. You're the star of this show!" _

"_Trust me, Akiza – you will not regret this night." _

Akiza took a steadier breath and stepped away from the wall, determination settling in her eyes. She COULD do this! This was her night. Her time to shine. She wasn't going to waste it with cowering. She was going to march down those stairs, look Yusei right in the eyes, and take the chance. They were going to prom, and they will have the time of their life. Nothing was going to stop her. She was going to do it, and she was going to do it now!

It was so much easier said than done.

Gathering up all of her courage, Akiza Izinski took another deep, bracing breath and stepped around the corner.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Okay, people, this is the last chapter for this story, and personally, I think it's my favorite =D I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! I managed to make it a little bit shorter than my last few chapters, haha, so it shouldn't be too tedious :) I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH 5DS OR THE CHARACTERS THEREIN AND I ALSO DO NOT OWN THE SONGS USED IN THIS STORY, WHICH ARE KISSIN' U BY _MIRANDA COSGROVE_ AND _BECAUSE YOU LIVE_ BY JESSE MCCARTNEY

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four: Because You Live<strong>

"Good evening! This is Angela Rains, here to give you what's up on Channel Three News! We're coming to you live from central Domino City, where the Duel Academy is hosting its first Prom in almost a decade! What started off as something only for academy students and their guests has been opened to the public, and it seems as though the entire city is attending!"

Angela wasn't exaggerating. She and her news crew were standing a little ways from the roped-off red carpet that lead to the front doors of the academy. Thousands of cameras were flashing, everyone was talking at once, and a large crowd of reporters and citizens alike had come to see who would be attending. Spotlights lit up the sky, and Sector Security guards were all over the place, trying to keep everything under control. This prom had become a very, VERY big deal. It would be the talk of the city for weeks!

_It's a shame that I have to work tonight,_ Angela pouted to herself as a member of the Team Unicorn came down the carpet with his British actress girlfriend. It was also too bad that no one had asked her to the dance in the first place! That was what infuriated her the most. Why WOULDN'T anyone ask her to prom? She was rich and beautiful and successful! Wasn't that enough?

_At least Carly won't be going either,_ the blonde thought with a satisfied smirk. There was NO WAY that spazzy quirk of a girl could have gotten a date if she, Angela Rains, hadn't. That was the only reason she wasn't throwing a big tantrum over the whole thing.

Suddenly, a chorus of "oohs" and whispers rose from the crowd as a long, white limo pulled up to the curb.

"Well, someone knows how to arrive in style!" Angela announced into her mike as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd, the camera man right on her heels. "Who could this be?"

A short, balding man in a black suit popped out from the driver's seat of the vehicle and ran around to open the door for the passengers. There were loud cheers from the crowd as the world-famous super model, Misty Tredwell, stepped out of the limo. The hem of her sparkly-gold dress touched the carpet as she stood straight, giving the audience a glowing smile. As she waved, everyone saw a beautiful yellow rose corsage on her wrist, and everyone wondered who had given it to her. There were more gasps and cries from the onlookers as a tall man with ice-blue hair stepped out of the vehicle behind her. The man held out his arm, and Misty took it, and the two of them walked down the carpet together, smiling and waving at the crowd.

"Well, what do we have here?" Angela yelled over the noise, pushing her mike towards the couple as they approached. "Misty, would you like to introduce us to your friend here?"

Misty's laugh was like tinkling bells as she answered, "This man is more than a friend, Angela. Meet my boyfriend, Kalin Kessler."

"Boyfriend?" Angela squealed. "When did this relationship come about?"

"We've actually been together for some time now," Kalin replied, his gold eyes sparkling. "We're just now announcing it to the public."

"Well, this is certainly breaking news!" Angela cried, grasping onto the prospect of a celebrity gossip story. "So tell me, how did you two love-birds meet?"

Misty smiled kindly and replied, "Sorry, Angela, that's personal information."

"Secret stuff," Kalin agreed.

The couple had already told the story to their friends in the limo on the way to the academy. It had all started when Misty was traveling home from a photo shoot in Europe. She was on her final flight to Domino City from Germany when she met Kalin. Kalin had been in Germany on a business trip for Crash Town, since he had been made the Sheriff, and he happened to be traveling home on the same plane as Misty. They were assigned seats next to each other on the plane, and Kalin recognized her from their days as Dark Signers. Misty too had though she had seen him before, but didn't remember where and how until Kalin brought it up. They talked about what had happened and how their lives had been since that incident during the flight home, and when they arrived back in New Domino City, the stayed in contact through letters and phone calls. They became very close friends, and eventually fell in love, but with Misty's profile as a world famous super model made having a relationship out in the open difficult, so the two of them decided to keep it private for a little while.

"Now," Kalin continued, still addressing Angela, "if you'll excuse us, we have a prom to go to." B

Before Angela could ask any more questions, the couple continued down the carpet to the Academy doors.

"Hey, Ang!" The camera man called. "There're more people coming out of the limo!"

Angela swiveled around and saw that another couple had exited the limo while she was interviewing Misty and Kalin. These two were also well known throughout the city because of their high positions in the Public Security Bureau: Tetsu Trudge and Mina Symington. Mina looked much more relaxed and carefree than usual, her silver dress fluttering behind her and a white rose corsage on her wrist. An excited murmur swept through the crowd at the sight of them together, but it didn't cause as much of a reaction as Misty and Kalin had.

The next man that stepped out of the limo, however, had a very big welcome from his fans. Several girls screamed as Jack Atlas, the city's former dueling champion, stood before the crowd, wearing a tailored white suit with a feathered hat covering his spiky blonde hair, his violet eyes sparkling as he took in the scene. Angela rushed forward, determined to get an interview, as Jack smiled and raised a hand to the crowd, seemingly pleased that he hadn't been totally forgotten. He turned back to the limo, his sparkly tailcoat swishing over the carpet, and held out his hand. Everyone watched, curious, as a smaller hand took his, a foot gingerly touched the carpet, and out of the limo came...

"_**CARLY CARMINE**__**?**_" Angela screeched. She dropped her mike in horror of what she was seeing. Not ONLY did CARLY CARMINE, a quirky blogger, a **NOBODY**, have a DATE to PROM when SHE, Angela Rains, DIDN'T, but her DATE was **WORLD RENOWNED DUELING CHAMPION **_**JACK ATLAS!**_

Not only that, but did Carly actually look... beautiful? Her deep gray eyes, no longer hidden behind those silly glasses she always wore, shined brightly as she smiled at the crowd, pleased to be in front of the cameras rather than behind them. Her long, black hair looked silky and shiny, and was pulled back in a twisty bun. She definitely wasn't wearing her old, unfashionable prom dress from high school – this robin's egg blue dress looked brand new and very expensive. She, too, was wearing a corsage; an elegant blue rose. And was she actually wearing make-up and jewelry? Since when did THAT ever happen?

"Hey, Angela!" Carly greeted with a gloating smile. Angela stared at her in horror and fury, unable to say what was going through her head due to the fact that it could get her fired and/or arrested. Carly's grin widened; she was going to enjoy this.

"I'm surprised to see you out here," the dark-haired reporter commented. "I thought you would be dancing at prom with an actor or someone important." She raised her hand to cover her mouth in mock shock. "Oh, no! Did nobody ask you to prom, Angela?"

"I'm working tonight, Carly," Angela fumed through gritted teeth. "Unlike you, I have a very successful career, and I happen to be very _BUSY!_"

"I can see that," Carly replied, nodding at the cameraman behind Angela. "Hey, Bob!"

"'Sup, Carly?" Bob replied, raising a hand in greeting. Angela gave him a dangerous look, and Bob quickly lowered his hand and cleared his throat.

"Anyway," continued Carly, wrapping her arms around one of Jack's. "I would be reporting as well, but, as you can see, I have a date tonight."

Jack, who had been watching this exchange with bemused curiosity, stepped forward and shook the stunned TV reporter's hand with his free hand.

"Jack Atlas," He introduced himself formerly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

_Not really_, he added in his mind.

"I take it that you and Carly know each other, then?" he continued out loud.

"Oh, yeah, Angela and I go way back," Carly answered. "We're old high school chums." She gave the seething reporting another taunting smile. "Isn't that right, Angela?"

Angela didn't reply. Both girls were silent as they reminisced their old days in high school; Angela had been the most popular girl in school, the captain of the cheer squad, with all the guys falling at her feet, and voted the most likely to succeed in their class; Carly had been the weird, nerd girl with funny glasses.

"My, my, how the tables have turned," Carly said brightly.

Angela's eyes were shooting daggers at her colleague, and she had to hold back a shriek of fury. Her teeth were grinding together, her perfectly manicured nails were biting into her palms, and her entire body was shaking with anger and jealousy.

"Well," Jack chimed in, his eyes moving back and forth from one reporter to another as he sensed the building tension, "we'd love to stay and chat, but the prom awaits us."

He didn't understand what was going on between his date and this strange, rather scary looking woman, but he sensed that the latter was going to snap any minute and decided that it would be best to get out of there. He gently pulled Carly away from the furious news reporter and led her toward the front door.

"Catch ya later, Angela!" Carly called back as she walked away, a mocking smile still on her lips.

Angela turned away from the sickening sight, her blood boiling dangerously. It wasn't fair! _**IT WAS NOT FAIR!**_

She looked up at Bob, who had been silently watching the show, camera still up on his shoulder.

"BOB!" She yelled suddenly. "That camera isn't still rolling, is it?"

"Uh..." Bob grunted, looking down at the red "recording" light blinking on the camera screen. "Oops..."

"_**TURN IT OFF, YOU IDIOT!**_" Angela screeched, lunging for the camera. She had just been publicly humiliated in front of the entire city. This was officially the worst night of her life.

While this was going on, four more people had stepped out of the limo: A young adult male with spiky orange hair and a white tux, another boy with a striking resemblance to Misty Tredwell, and two green-haired pre-teens who were obviously twins.

"I didn't know so many people were going to be here," Luna mumbled nervously, clinging onto her brother's arm. She had always been really shy, and she didn't like all these strangers looking at her, or the cameras flashing everywhere.

"You're just now getting nervous?" Leo asked, smiling and waving at the crowd, enjoying the attention. "Luna, you've been talking about this dance nonstop for two weeks!"

"Yeah, I know, but now that I'm actually here..." Luna trailed off, feeling intimidated by all the people staring down at her.

Toby rested his hand on her shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "Don't worry about them, Luna," he said comfortingly. "They're not going to hurt you any. And we're all going to be right here if you need us. Right, Crow?"

"Mm-hm," Crow mumbled absentmindedly, not really paying attention. The Blackwing duelist didn't really want to be there at the moment. He had never been entirely enthusiastic about this, because it only seemed to emphasize the fact that he was the odd one out. Yusei, Jack, and even flipping KALIN all had dates... he didn't. He was always the one flying solo. Normally, he didn't let it bother him this much, but tonight, it just seemed so unfair...

_But why does it bother me so much?_ he wondered. He should be used to it by now. Besides, who cared if he had a date or not? There hadn't been anyone Crow had wanted to ask...

Well... there was always _her_. But there was no way she would be here. Crow hadn't seen her since he left Satellite. There was no way she-

Crow froze, his eyes staring into the crowd. He had imagined it. Just because he was thinking of her, he had imagined seeing her face in the crowd. It was as simple as that. There was no way she could be here.

Was there?

"Crow, are you okay?" Toby asked. Crow's eyes darted back to him and the twins, who were all giving him curious looks.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, his eyes searching through the crowd. "I just thought I saw someone."

"Well, come on, let's go inside," Toby suggested, resuming walking down the carpet to the door. "Maybe you'll see her again at the prom."

"Who said it was a girl?" Crow demanded. Toby just shrugged and kept walking.

_Psychics!_ Crow though to himself as he followed Toby through the door._ Ya can't keep anything from 'em._

As they walked down the carpet, another man dressed in a black tux had come out of the limo – a certain blue-eyed, spiky-black-and-yellow haired someone who was famous in New Domino City because of his title as Duel Champion.

"It's Yusei Fudo!" one reporter yelled.

"The man who won the Fortune Cup!" shouted another.

"What is he doing here?"

"Wow, it's Satellite's Shooting Star!"

"Do you think he'll autograph my face?"

"_Does he have a date?_"

It seemed as though every eye and camera in the city was on Yusei as a small smile swept over his face. He was still getting used to the fact that he was one of Domino's biggest celebrities and that everyone knew his name; it was still a bit nerve-racking.

Despite this, he was calm and perfectly composed as he turned back to the open door of the limo and asked his date, "Are you ready?"

She took a deep breath and replied, "Yeah, I'm ready. Let's do this."

Yusei's smile widened. Just as Jack had done, Yusei stretched out his hand and helped her out of the limo.

When she came into the light, even more gasps and cries rose from the crowd. Cameras went off like lightning strikes, and reporters rushed forward, shouting questions faster than a machine gun shoots bullets.

"It's Akiza Izinski!"

"The Black Rose!"

"She doesn't look so 'black' anymore, though!"

"Akiza, is it true that you've been attending duel academy for the past few months?"

"I've heard she's the top of her class!"

The most frequently shouted question was: "Are you and Yusei Fudo dating?"

Akiza's smile was similar to Yusei's: amused, bewildered, and a bit shaky, but excited. No one in the city could ever recall her looking more beautiful out in public. Her long, strapless dress perfectly matched the color of a red rose, and the skirt was long with split in the front just below her knees, showing off her legs a bit. A wavy, frilly trim lined the edges of the dress as it trailed behind her, the end just barely kissing the floor. Tall, black high heels were strapped on her feet, and black silk gloves covered her hands and reached up to her elbows. Her dark red hair was curled slightly, but other than that it looked no different than usual, and she wore a beautiful red rose corsage on her wrist.

Yusei and Akiza didn't both answering the reporters' questions as they walked arm-in-arm down the carpet. Neither of them seemed to notice the flashing cameras, the bright lights, or the enormous crowd; Akiza was too amazed by her good fortune of being Yusei Fudo's date to prom to notice anything else, and that, along with concentrating on not tripping and falling in front of everyone, had her mind pretty well occupied; Yusei was completely distracted by how beautiful Akiza looked tonight.

Yusei remembered clear as day how he had felt when he first saw Akiza at the top of the stairs in her home. He had felt as though the ground had fallen from beneath his feet and he was standing on empty air. The whole world had seemed to fade away; as far as he knew, Akiza was the only one alive. He forgot what he was doing, where he was, and why he was there. He forgot where "there" even was. Akiza had been the only important thing at that moment, and everything else ceased to exist. He had wondered if this was how werewolves felt when they imprinted on someone.

He had been making _Twilight_ references. More proof that he had totally lost his mind.

But that wasn't the only thing that had made him so amazed and happy. Akiza looked absolutely beautiful and gorgeous and stunning, but then again, she always did. What was important to Yusei was that she was still Akiza. Behind the make-up, he could still see the girl who had fought by his side through the toughest of battles; the friend who would always have his back; the duelist who had the confidence and determination to take on the world if necessary. He was relieved that she hadn't tried to change herself too much for him, as he knew a lot of girls did for guys. Even though she looked very different, and even more beautiful than usual, she was still his Akiza.

As she walked down the carpet with Yusei, Akiza also relived the moment back at her parents' house. She had started with confidence and determination, but as she continued to make her way down the steps to Yusei, who had been watching her with the most peculiar expression on his face, she felt her bravado fade as worries and doubts started nagging at her mind. She had become worried that he was disappointed, or that he would change his mind and leave.

When she had finally reached the bottom of the stairs, she was as nervous and terrified as before, but she tried hard not to show it.

"_Hey, Yusei,"_ she had said with confidence, though she still avoided his eyes.

"_Akiza..."_

The tone of his voice had made her look up. His clear, cobalt eyes were full of warmth and light, and his smile had been absolutely dazzling.

"_You look... amazing,"_ he had finally said, taking one of her hands into both of his. Akiza had felt like melting, she was so happy and relieved.

_And now we're here_, Akiza though in wonder, gazing up at the boy holding her arm as they walked down the carpet. 'After weeks of preparing and waiting, we're here, at prom, together!'

Yusei and Akiza stepped through the front doors of the academy and found their friends waiting for them with wide, excited smiles.

"Let's do this thing!" Jack rallied, and together they all walked down a short corridor and through the doors to the ballroom.

The ballroom looked so amazing, even Jack gazed around him in wonder. An archway made of roses stood over the door, and rose garlands were wrapped around white marble pillars and draped across the stage. Bright twinkling lights were hung up on the walls, giving the room a soft, romantic glow. On the stage was a large DJ set up, complete with speakers about the same size as the twins and a large music mixer. At the end of the room farthest from the stage, a long table was laden with food and punch. Smaller, round tables were scattered along the edges of the room, each one set with a white table cloth and a vase of roses. A large, crystal disco ball hung from the high ceiling. Across the room from where they stood, two french doors stood open, leading outside to the grounds, where a real rose garden had been made.

"This looks incredible!" Luna squealed, getting excited again.

"Definitely," Kalin agreed.

"Well," said Toby, rubbing his hands together as he made his way towards the stage. "I think it's time to get this party started! DJ's gotta go. See ya on the dance floor!"

The others watched as Toby climbed up onto the stage and introduced himself to the guests scattered throughout the room. He hit off the prom with a loud, "Whaddya say we get this party started?"

The crowd cheered as Toby put on the first song. It was Kenny Loggin's "Footloose."

"I love this song!" Carly cried as the guests surged onto the dance floor, whooping and cheering and laughing.

Jack gestured dramatically to the dancers. "After you, then, my lady."

"Wha- Jack, are you serious?" Carly asked incredulously. "You know how to dance to this song?" She was surprised Jack knew how to dance at all!

A small smile touched the former champ's lips. "Of course I do. Who doesn't?"

Delighted, Carly took his hand and the two of them jumped into the crowd of dancers. Kalin and Misty, along with Trudge and Mina, followed suit, as did Crow and the twins.

Yusei looked down at Akiza and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

Akiza's eyebrows flew up and a surprised smile appeared on her lips. She had expected to either have to force Yusei onto the dance floor or not dance at all. But he seemed calm and confident, so Akiza took his hand and the two of them joined the throng.

No one in the room could remember ever having so much fun! Akiza was amazed and surprised by Yusei's unexpected talent on the dance floor; he was as good a dancer as he was a duelist! Many people did double takes as they walked or danced past him, wondering where this silent, solemn duel champ had learned to dance. Even Yusei himself was surprised. People were also shocked to see Jack and Crow dancing like they were born to, and having a good time doing it.

One thing was for sure, though: They were all having a blast!

So the night continued, and the sense of enjoyment and excitement in the room never died down. Toby really had a taste for music, and no one had any complaints about the songs he was playing. When the guests weren't dancing, they were sitting in groups or pairs, sipping punch or munching on something from the snack table and chatting happily. Either way, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

All except for one person.

Crow had tried to join in on the fun, but he found it difficult; he was only half into it, and part of him felt empty as he faked smiles and forced laughter. The red-head was leaning against a pillar, watching the dancers with a rather sad expression on his face. He picked out his friends from the crowd: Luna was helping Toby pick out some music; Leo was pigging out on the snacks with a couple of his friends; Jack, Carly, Yusei and Akiza were dancing to the currently playing song, Cascada's "Every Time We Touch"; Misty and Kalin were sitting at a table not too far away. Seeing all of his friends, especially Yusei and Jack, with their dates made him feel more alone than ever. Would he ever know that kind of love for a girl?

But then he thought of _her_ again. The Blackwing duelist had met the girl in Satellite during the struggle with the Dark Signers, and Crow had never met anyone else like her. She was as special as they come: selfless, loving, willing to give anything for her friends, as strong and courageous as a lioness, with a heart twice as big. She had been there for Crow when he had dueled Grieger as a Dark Signer, she had contributed to the building of the Daedalus Bridge, and she had even helped Crow escape the Facility once.

How likely was it for her to be here? Not very likely. But what if she was here? What if it hadn't been his imagination earlier? What if-

"Crow Hogan."

Crow's heart skipped a beat. He knew that voice. There was no way he was imagining it this time. He whirled around, but couldn't see her at first...

Then she was standing right in front of him: The girl who had been by his side through some of the most difficult times in his life. The only girl he had ever felt any strong feelings for.

Elodie Kumari.

"Crow! It's so good to see you!" Elodie cried as she gave Crow a warm hug.

"Elodie," Crow replied dumbly, stunned that she was here. Then he recovered from his shock and hugged her back. "It's great to see you too!"

"So you haven't forgotten me!" Elodie laughed as she stepped back and gave Crow a dazzling smile. Almost more shocking than the fact that she was here was how different she looked. Her chocolate-brown hair, which before had almost reached down to her waist, had obviously been cut shorter; although, it was hard to tell with it all piled on top of her head in a fancy up-do, with little ringlets framing her face. Her bangs, which usually hung below her eyes, had been brushed of to the side so they swooped across her forehead and revealed her deep, intelligent hazel eyes. Her dress was light purple and long, the full skirt reaching down to the floor, with silvers sparkles giving her a star-like quality. She also wore a pair of gloves like Akiza's, except hers was white instead of black, a white shrug to cover her shoulders, and a pair of high heels that put her at the same height as Crow, whereas she was usually a couple inches shorter than him.

But the most wonderful thing about her was her smile. A true-blue smile, full of confidence and warmth, was spread across her face, making her beautiful eyes sparkle with their own light. There had been a time when any kind of smile from Elodie was a rare thing; it was obvious that she had under-gone a bit of a personality adjustment during their time apart.

"Of course I haven't forgotten you!" Crow exclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear. "How could I forget you?"

Elodie shrugged, still smiling. Wow, what a smile.

"Well... wow, you look amazing!" Crow blurted out. _Crap! Did I say that out loud?_

Elodie laughed. "Well, thank you, but don't sell yourself short. I must say that you look quite dashing yourself."

Butterflies began fluttering in Crow's stomach. _Get a grip!_ he told himself.

"So what are you doing here?" He asked. "I thought you were still in Satellite with the kids."

Back in Satellite, Elodie had adopted and taken care of a group of orphans just as Crow had. She had been very deeply attached to those children, and Crow wondered why she had left them.

"Well, I was," Elodie began, "but I decided to take them to Martha's place to stay with her and your nest. They wanted other kids to play with, and I think Martha will be able to provide more for them than I can. They deserve a more stable home."

There was a small plea in her voice as she tried to explain that she had done what was best for the kids, and that she wasn't abandoning them. Crow nodded his understanding, and Elodie smiled her gratitude before continuing.

"But that was quite a few months ago. After that, I came here in search of a new start for my life. I tried to find you guys, but you'd be surprised how hard it is even for me to find a couple of people amongst a population of, what, three million? Anyway, I got an apartment not far from here and a job as a piano player at a country club. Then other people began calling me and paying me to perform at parties and banquets and such. It's a pretty solid job, and I even got a second job in the Public Security Bureau. From both jobs, I've got a good amount of money saved up. In fact, I just got enough enroll in the Duel Academy! I start this coming Monday!"

"That's great!" said Crow. "And I guess with all the new dueling training your going to receive, you're going to need some practice, right?"

Elodie beamed at him, catching the subtle invitation. "I guess so. We'll definitely need to arrange a turbo duel sometime."

"Yeah- wait, a turbo duel?" Crow yelped.

"Yeah! I saved an old duel runner from the junk yard and fixed it up and few weeks ago. I got my license last Tuesday! You, Jack and Yusei all really inspired me to become a turbo duelist, and now I am one!"

"Elodie, that's awesome!" Crow exclaimed, giving Elodie another hug.

He regretted it the moment he did it; Elodie had a lot of so-called "friends" betray her, and it had made her very wary of people. She didn't trust others or make friends very easily – Crow knew this best of all. Things that had happened in her past had made her afraid to have close relationships with others, and the orange-haired duelist was afraid he might have just crossed the line. He expected her to pull away from him and say good-bye again.

But Elodie surprised him again by laughing and hugging him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly. She had changed more than Crow had previously thought – and it was all because of him. Crow did not know it, but he had taught Elodie many important lessons about life and friendship, and she had taken them all to heart. She was no longer afraid to trust others or to have close friends, and she had let go of the past and moved on with a new sense of hope for a brighter future.

Crow, delighted by her new confidence, laughed as well and held her even tighter, picking her up and swinging her around, which made Elodie laugh even more. She really did have a wonderful laugh.

When Crow put Elodie back on her feet again, he grinned down at her and said, "Wow, you've changed a lot since the last time we met."

"All good changes, I hope," Elodie replied, blushing. "You haven't changed too much, though. I'm glad for that," she added quickly. "You're great just the way you are."

Crow didn't know what to say to that, so he just smiled. Both of them turned to the dance floor as a new song started; it was a swing dance tune, and everyone was jumping up to dance. There was a lot of clapping and cheering as Kalin and Misty took the floor, smiling and laughing...

Oh, _crap_. Kalin!

Crow whirled around to Elodie and felt cold dread trickle through him as her eyes went right to the blue-haired boy. How would she react to seeing her ex-boyfriend with his arms wrapped around another girl?

But Elodie's face was a mask. If she felt any pain or jealously, she didn't show it. In fact, a small smile appeared on her lips as she said, "The prom seems to be a big hit, doesn't it?"

Crow stared at her suspiciously, and Elodie met his gaze calmly. She didn't seem to be acting, but with her, you never knew.

"It's okay, Crow," she said before Crow had a chance to ask the question burning in his mind. "Kalin and I have already talked it out, and we've both moved on. We're just friends now, and I'm totally fine with it."

"How did you know I was going to ask-?"

Elodie cut him off with a look, putting her hands on her hips and cocking an eyebrow at him as her eyes glowed bright gold. Literally, like, her eyes were glowing, changed almost instantly from calming hazel to a fiery amber color.

_Duh, Crow_. "Right. Psychic. Sorry,"

Elodie was a psychic. She could feel another person's emotions through a field of energy around their body called an aura, and the more she knew a person, the stronger she could feel that person's aura or spirit, and the more connected she was to said person. She could feel when her friends were dueling, in danger, or feeling any other strong emotions, no matter where they were or when they were. She also occasionally had cryptic visions of the past, the present, and/or the future.

Elodie smiled again as her eyes dimmed down to their normal, beautiful hazel. "Don't worry about it. But as I was saying, everyone here seems to be enjoying themselves..." she turned back to Crow and gave him that piercing, calculating look that made the Blackwing duelist feel like he was being X-rayed, "except for you."

Crow gave a start. "What do you mean?"

"You were feeling really down and lonely earlier. How come?"

Crow knew she would see right through it, but he decided to try and bluff his way out of answering the question. "I'm not alone. I came here with Yusei and Akiza and the others."

"Yeah, I saw those two earlier. About time they got together! They've had feelings for each other for as long as I've known them and maybe even longer!"

For a moment, Crow thought he had actually succeeded in distracting her, but than she turned a cold stare onto him and said, "But that doesn't answer my question."

Crow sighed. _Psychics! Ya can't keep anything from 'em_.

"Alright, alright, you caught me. It's just... all my friend are moving and finding someone special in their lives. Yusei and Akiza are, like, soul mates or something, Jack and Carly finally got things rolling, Kalin has Misty, and even Trudge has Mina now. And I'm just stuck with myself. It can make a guy feel a bit left out sometimes."

He turned to Elodie glumly and asked, "And what about you? Where's your date?"

Crow had been wondering about that ever since he had though he saw her outside. There was no way she could have come alone. A beautiful, smart, talented girl like her? She was bound to have found someone else, especially if she and Kalin had moved on. Crow braced himself for her answer.

Elodie smiled again as she sensed his dread and fear, knowing that it was all for nothing. "Crow, I didn't come with a date," she said quietly.

Crow blinked several times as he processed what she said. When it finally clicked in his brain, his eyes went wide and he stuttered, "Wha- seriously? You don't have a date?"

Elodie laughed at his reaction. "Seriously, I don't have a date. No need to sound so surprised. I came mostly to meet some of the students before I start school, and because Mina told me she was going. I haven't found much time to socialize lately, with my jobs and working on my duel runner and everything, so I thought this would be a good opportunity."

Crow couldn't help but smile as unexplainable relief flooded through him and he felt the tension snap out of his system like a rubber band.

The swing dance tune ended and a new song started. Crow recognized it as a really popular love song:

_Sparks fly; it's like electricity. I might die when I forget how to breathe  
><em>_You get closer and there's nowhere in this world I'd rather be...  
><em>

Crow glanced at Elodie, and assumed by the light that had entered her eyes that this song was a favorite of hers.

"Well," said Crow, bowing slightly and holding out his hand, "in that case, can I have this dance?"

A bewildered smiled touched Elodie's lips as she gazed down at the Blackwing duelist. "Is Crow Hogan asking me to dance with him at prom?"

Crow winked at her. "What do you think?"

Elodie's smile widened as she took Crow's outstretched hand and he led the way onto the dance floor.

Little did the pair know that Akiza and Yusei had watched the whole exchanged from their table across the room.

"Its seems as though we all have dates now," Akiza commented with a smile.

"Looks like it," Yusei nodded. He was glad Crow had found Elodie; he had been worried that his orange-haired friend would be left out and alone all night.

Both duelists sat in silence for a moment, watching the dancers and simply enjoying each other's company. Neither of them could ever remember having this much fun, and the fact that they were together made it all the more special.

But Yusei was getting nervous again. He knew what he was going to have to do before he and Akiza could progress in their relationship any further. And he knew he would have to do it tonight, before the prom ended. He was just waiting for the right moment. But would he be able to do it? Or would he make a mess of everything? He was no good at talking about his feelings...

Akiza covered Yusei's hand with hers, breaking his thoughts.

"Yusei, I want to thank you in advance for inviting me to come here with you," she said, looking directly into his eyes. "Tonight... has felt like a dream, and I never want to wake up. Thank you for giving me a night to remember."

A small smile pulled at the corners of Yusei's lips as he thought about how beautiful her eyes were. "The night's not over yet," he said.

"I'm glad it's not," Akiza replied earnestly. "I don't ever want it to end."

"Neither do I," Yusei admitted, giving his date's hand a gentle squeeze. But the fact remained that the night would eventually end, and, unless he acted tonight, so would his chances of being with Akiza. But that was the problem – Yusei rarely ever talked about his feelings, and the thought of telling Akiza how he felt about her was a daunting one. How should he approach the subject? What should he say? And when? And how would she react when he finally said it?

_Don't worry about it now,_ a voice that sounded an awful lot like Kalin's whispered in the back of his mind. _You'll know when the time comes. For now, just enjoy yourself. Go with the flow. Whatever will be, will be._

Yusei sighed and pushed the subject out of his mind. Kalin was right. Worrying about it would only take the fun out of everything. He watched the dancers without really seeing them, absentmindedly tracing circles on the back of Akiza's hand with his thumb.

Akiza watched his face, wondering what he was thinking about. He had been rather distracted and quiet since they sat down. Had she done something wrong? She didn't think so... No, it must be something else. He didn't seem angry or regretful – just deep in thought. But what about?

The song changed again. A piano played the intro, and then a male voice began singing:

_Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart  
><em>_It's the end of the world in my mind  
><em>_Then your voice calls me back like a wake-up call...  
><em>

It was a slow dance song. As Yusei listened to it, he knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for. The song was perfect, and the mood was just right.

It was time.

Yusei got out of his chair and held out his hand to his date.

"Akiza, may I have this dance?"

Akiza heard something in his tone that almost made her hesitate. Something was about to happen, she could feel it. What would happen if she took his hand?

Only one way to find out.

"Yes," she answered, slipping her hand into Yusei's. Yusei pulled her to her feet and lead the way to the center of the dance floor. His eyes were warm and tender as he raised their entwined hands and put his other hand on her waist, and she laid her hand on his shoulder.

The song broke out into the chorus as they began to dance:

_Because you live, and breathe  
><em>_Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
><em>_Because you live, girl, my world has twice as many stars in the sky  
><em>

Akiza and Yusei circled the center of the floor, stepping in time with the music, losing themselves in each other's eyes and in the song. They barely noticed when their friends joined them, dancing in a circle together, putting them at the center: Jack with Carly, Crow with Elodie, Kalin with Misty, and Trudge with Mina. Toby looked on from the stage, having picked the song specifically for Yusei and Akiza, a small, satisfied smile on his lips. Luna and Leo watched from the other end of the room, and even Leo couldn't help but smile at the sight.

_I'm so glad I found an angel  
><em>_Someone who was there when all my hopes fell  
><em>_I wanna fly looking in your eyes...  
><em>

As Akiza listened to the song and gazed into Yusei's eyes, she realized how much it fit the two of them. Yusei had always been by her side, even when she hadn't wanted him there. He had shown her that there was still hope and kindness in the world when she thought there was nothing but hate...Everything seemed brighter with Yusei by her side. He was the very reason she was here, the reason she still existed. Because he lived... so did she.

As she was thinking this, Yusei got an idea. Without changing the rhythm of their dance, he lead Akiza away from their friends, away from the other dancers, away from the dance floor and out through the doors that lead to the academy grounds.

The others paused in their dance to watch them go, soft smiles on each of their faces.

"About time," Jack muttered.

Crow looked down at Elodie and saw a peculiar expression on her face.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

Elodie tore her eyes away from the doorway and smiled at him, her eyes glowing gold again and shining with unshed tears. What she had been thinking about was the vision she had seen as she watched Yusei and Akiza leave: a beautiful vision of love and happiness.

"I'm thinking..." she replied, "Yusei and Akiza are going to have a very bright future together."

* * *

><p>The rose garden was beautiful. Elegant, sweet-smelling rose bushes and flowers lined the stone path, little lights twinkled in the trees, and a marble water fountain stood at its center. The roses filled the cool night air with their sweet aroma, and billions of stars shined brightly above, defying the competitive city lights in the near distance. There was an atmosphere of peace and serenity in the garden, a peace that was everlasting and eternal.<p>

Yusei and Akiza were the only people there. They danced beneath the stars, the music echoing through the garden from the academy behind them. Yusei spun Akiza around as they circled the fountain, the skirt of her dress twirling around her ankles. Akiza pulled away from Yusei, and then spun into his arms so that her back was against his chest. Yusei nuzzled her neck affectionately, breathing in her sweet scent, and Akiza felt a small shiver go through her at his touch. They had never been this close before. She sighed contentedly, savoring the feeling of his arms around her. How long could this last?

Suddenly, Yusei spun Akiza around again and dipped her low to the ground. There was no trace of fear in her as Akiza felt herself falling; she completely trusted Yusei to not drop her. Yusei looked down into her warm brown eyes and saw the stars reflected in them.

"Akiza," Yusei spoke softly, caressing her name with his voice. He knew what he had to do, what he had to tell her. Now was the perfect opportunity.

Akiza almost forgot to respond to him, she was so lost in the ocean of his eyes.

"Yusei," she finally replied. Something was about to happen, she knew. She had heard a note of resolution in Yusei's tone; he had decided something. Whatever it was, Akiza felt that she was ready for it.

Yusei pulled her up out of the dip and took both of her hands into his. He took a calming breath, looking directly into Akiza's eyes, and spoke from the bottom of his heart.

"Akiza, we've been through so much together these past several months, and I've seen how much you've changed and grown. Through the things we've experienced, our bond has grown stronger than I ever could have dreamed when I first saw you at the Fortune Cup. You're definitely not the Black Rose anymore."

Akiza lowered her eyes, feeling embarrassed and ashamed by the memory of that dark time in her past. But Yusei put a finger under her chin and lifted her head up again, their faces only inches apart. He cupped his hand around the side of her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"Akiza," he continued, his eyes shining with truth and sincerity, his voice shaking slightly with emotion, "because you live, I live. I knew you were something special the day I met you. I'm very thankful that I was able to watch you open up and bloom into the beautiful young woman you have become. You're the reason I get up in the morning, and every day, I look forward to seeing you. And these last few weeks with you have been... amazing. Like having all my dreams come true. I never want it to end. I've never felt this way about anyone else, Akiza. You mean the world to me... You're everything to me."

Akiza was gazing up at him in astonishment, her heart beating even more frantically in her chest, her breathing loud in her ears. This was too good to be true. Could he really mean what he was saying?

Yes, she realized. He could. And he did.

But now Yusei faltered. This was more difficult than he thought it would be. He had never been one to speak out his heart, and now he was pouring out his soul. He knew what he had to say next. There was no reason not to. _Go on, do it!_ he rallied himself.

After clearing his throat, Yusei continued, "I guess what I'm trying to say, Akiza, is... I love you. I always have. I always will."

It took a moment for Akiza to register these words, but when they did, she felt as though the ground had fallen away and she was flying through the sky, free as a bird. Her heart soared and she felt a joy like no other as Yusei's words echoed through her mind. She knew without a doubt that Yusei had meant what he said, and she understood that it had been difficult for him to say. But he had said it. Yusei loved her. He would always love her.

That was when it hit her – not only did he love her, but she loved him back just as much. That was what she had been feeling and seeing this whole time. She couldn't believe she hadn't realized it sooner. Love... could there ever be a more beautiful word?

Yes there was... it was Yusei.

"Oh, Yusei," Akiza whispered, her eyes shining with emotion. "I love you too."

Now it was Yusei's turn to fly. He felt equal measures of relief and joy at her words. She returned his love... She returned his love! Yusei had taken the risk of telling her how he felt, and now it was paying off. The raven-haired boy had never felt so happy in his entire eighteen-almost-nineteen years of life as he looked down into the bright, smiling face of the girl he loved.

Both the stars in the sky and the lights in the trees twinkled brightly as the two lovers moved closer together. Yusei tilted his head to the side and leaned forward, his eyes closing slowly. The hand on Akiza's cheek moved to the back of her neck, twisting in her hair, and the other hand wrapped around her waist. Akiza closed her eyes and lifted her face up to his, drawing herself up to her full height.

Both teens felt a spark go between them as their lips met.

This kiss, their first kiss, was absolute bliss. It was completely flawless, without fear or worry or regret. It was better than the rush that came with the first ride on a duel runner, better than the excitement from the victory of a well-played duel. It was better than a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, better than a glowing fire in the middle of winter. Neither duelist had ever felt so at peace, nor so alive. Akiza's arms moved up and wrapped around Yusei's neck, and Yusei pulled her even closer to him. Their lips moved in perfect harmony - Yusei's soft and warm; Akiza's tasting slightly of her strawberry lip gloss. The world around them faded away into nothingness. Time no longer held any meaning for them. The only thing that mattered was this kiss... this moment... this love.

The last few bars of the song faded away into silence, and the duelists finally broke apart. They gazed into each others eyes, small smiles on their flushed faces. Yusei whispered Akiza's name and stroked her cheek, and Akiza cupped both her hands around his face, her eyes bright with tears of joy.

"I love you," she told him again. She would never get tired of saying it. And Yusei would never get tired of hearing it.

"I love you," Yusei repeated back, his smile widening as he gazed down at the love of his life, his Akiza, his very own rose. They kissed again, and they were once again lost beneath the starlit sky in their own little peace of heaven.

* * *

><p>SIX WEEKS LATER<p>

The final bell rang and the students of Duel Academy leaped out of their seats, cheering as they ran as fast as they could for the exit. The last day of school had just come to an end, and everyone was anxious to get out and start their summer vacations. Among the flow of students was Akiza Izinski, who was chatting happily with her best friend, Elodie Kumari, as they left their History of Dueling class.

"It's a shame I didn't start school here a bit earlier in the semester," Elodie was pouting. "It would have been nice to learn a bit more before leaving for two-and-a-half months."

"Hey, at least you got six weeks of duel training behind you now," Akiza replied, pulling the strap of her shoulder bag over her head. "And everyone says you caught up a lot quicker than most students do when they first start."

"Still," Elodie persisted, "we're going to have to spend some time practicing during the summer. I really want to try out that combo Mrs. Martinez showed us today in class!"

Akiza laughed. "Yeah, that was pretty neat. Don't worry, we'll definitely be dueling together sometime during the summer."

"We can help each other with our turbo dueling too! It's so cool that we both have our licenses now!"

Akiza smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, this summer's going to be fantastic! How are you spending your first day of vacation?"

Elodie blushed slightly as she answered, "Actually, I'm going to meet Crow at the amusement park when he's done with work today."

Akiza grinned at her, lifting her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, reeeally?" she asked, drawing out the word. "So is this a date?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Akiza," Elodie replied, but she couldn't stop smiling. "We're just hanging out and having fun. Just as friends."

Akiza gave her best friend a knowing look. "Uh-huh. Sure you are."

Both girls laughed as they stepped out into the courtyard and began weaving their way through the crowd of students.

"So, what about you?" Elodie asked. "What are you doing today?"

Before Akiza could reply, a very familiar voice called out her name. Both girls looked up and saw Yusei Fudo standing at the other side of the courtyard, leaning against a wall, his hands in his pockets and an adorable half-smile on his lips.

Now it was Elodie's turn to waggle her eyebrows at Akiza. "Well, I guess that answers my question," she said knowingly. Then she turned and walked away, waving good-bye as she called, "See ya later!"

"See you, Elodie!" Akiza replied, raising her hand in farewell as she made her way through the courtyard to Yusei.

"Hey," He greeted with a warm, loving smile.

"Hey," Akiza replied. Yusei held out his hand, and Akiza took it, and the two of them walked out of the courtyard and into the bustling city.

They talked casually as they walked through the city to the park, their entwined hands swinging back and forth between them. It was a beautiful day: the sky was clear and cloudless, it wasn't too hot or cold, and a soft breeze whispered through the blossoming trees and the green grass. No one in Domino City could recall a more perfect day.

Yusei and Akiza strolled through the park until they reached the pond, and then they sat beneath their favorite tree; It was a cherry tree, with bright pink-and-white flowers blooming on the branches kissing the air with their sweet aroma. This tree was easily the most beautiful tree in the park.

"I brought something for you," Yusei said, pulling a rectangular bundle of pink tissue paper tied with a red ribbon from the inside pocket of his jacket.

Akiza eyes widened and she smiled at him in surprise as she took the package from him. "What's this for?"

Yusei shrugged and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, lacing his fingers behind his head. "It's just something I thought you would like. You can call it your congratulations-for-surviving-the-school-year present."

Akiza laughed. "Is there really any such thing?"

"There is now," Yusei replied.

Akiza weighed the little package in her hand, well aware of Yusei watching her closely. "What is it?" She asked curiously, giving Yusei a playful look. Yusei rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you open it and find out, instead of asking all these questions?"

Akiza laughed softly and scooted closer to him, untying the ribbon and proceeding to unwrap the paper. Yusei leaned forward and watched over her shoulder, anticipation evident in his expression.

When the last of the paper fell away, Akiza gasped at what she held in her hands. "Oh, Yusei..."

It was a picture frame. The dark, mahogany wood was embroidered with gold around the edges, and the words _"Together Forever"_ were engraved in gold at the bottom. A rose shape had been carved into the wood in one corner, and a shooting star in the other. Inside the frame was a picture of Yusei and Akiza that had been taken at prom; a photographer had been there, offering to take and sell pictures of the prom-goers, and Akiza and Yusei had opted to get their picture taken. They were standing beneath a white trellis covered with roses, holding hands, with Yusei's arm wrapped around Akiza's waist.

Yusei beamed at the photo. "I got that in the mail a few weeks ago. I would have given it to you sooner, but I needed time to make the frame."

"You made this?" Akiza whispered, stroking the wood.

"Yeah, I made it... well, Elodie had to help me with the words and the designs in the corners," he admitted. "She has more of a flair for that sort of thing than I do."

"Wow, Yusei," Akiza looked up at him in amazement, her eyes glowing with happiness. "I don't know what to say."

Yusei's smile widened. "Look at the back of the frame."

Akiza turned the frame in her hands and found a handwritten note taped to the back. It read:

_To Akiza Izinski,  
><em>_The love of my life,  
><em>_My beautiful rose,  
><em>_Without whom my life  
><em>_could never be so sweet.  
><em>_~Yusei Fudo.  
><em>

"Yusei... this is amazing! Thank you."

Yusei smiled at her lovingly. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close, stroking her hair. Akiza laid her head against his shoulder and gazed at picture, thinking that she would put it on her bedside table when she got home.

"It's hard to believe this picture was taken six weeks ago," she commented. "It feels as though it was only yesterday."

Yusei gazed across the park, savoring this beautiful afternoon with this beautiful girl. "Time flies when you're in love, I guess," he said softly.

Akiza closed her eyes and smiled at those words. "That sounds wonderful."

"And now we have the whole summer to be together," Yusei continued. He looked down at his girlfriend, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with their own light, even with them sitting in the shade. "What do you think we should do first?"

"I don't know," Akiza replied, gazing up at him tenderly. She caressed his cheek with her fingers, and Yusei grasped her hand and pressed his face into her palm, holding onto her warm touch.

"But I think I know a good way to start," Akiza murmured. Then she kissed him, his lips shaping around her own, like puzzle pieces made to fit together. Every kiss they shared was just as sweet as the first: soft, tender, and without fear or flaw. When they broke apart again, they exchanged loving smiles and snuggled close together, just holding each other as the gazed across the blue water of the duck pond.

As Yusei Fudo and Akiza Izinski sat beneath that tree and looked out upon that beautiful spring day, they both know that the summer ahead of them was going to be a very memorable one indeed.

THE END... or is it?

* * *

><p>*5Ds group applause*<p>

Jack: I must admit, this was very well done.  
>Luna: I liked it! It was so sweet!<br>Leo: Are you kidding? I felt like I was gonna gag the whole time!  
>Carly: Now, Leo, don't be rude! I enjoyed this story very much, especially the beginning *wicked grin*<br>Angela: I'm gonna get you for this, Carly!  
>Crow: Uh, Angela? What are you doing here?<br>Angela: I'm included in this story too! Just because I get utterly humiliated doesn't mean I can't go wherever I want! I'm above that!  
>Carly: Uh, huh. Sure you are.<br>Crow: Whatevs. I liked this story because I finally get a girl! I'm glad you're back, Elodie :)  
>Elodie: Thanks, Crow! Good to be back :)<br>Jack: Yeah, heaven forbid Crow should feel so lonely and forgotten again!  
>Crow: What's THAT supposed to mean?<br>*Crow and Jack start arguing and fighting*  
>Kalin: Oh, can it you two! Anyway, I thought this was great too :) At last, I'm not portrayed as emo or a psycopath!<br>Misty: Of course you're not, Kalin! You're dating me!  
>Kalin: Haha, that is true! I don't know what I would do if I hadn't found Misty.<br>Leo: Oh man! Will someone please just kill me now?  
>Elodie: So, Yusei and Akiza, what did you think?<br>*Yusei and Akiza smile at each other*  
>Yusei: We loved it.<br>Akiza: Absolutely!  
>Elodie: I hoped so! =D<br>Yusei: I really want to know what your vision was, though!  
>Elodie: Sorry, Yus', that's another story. You're gonna have to wait for that one!<br>Yusei: *rolls his eyes* Of course. You gotta keep us hanging, don't you.  
>Elodie: Of course! You know me, keeping the suspense and interest :) So anyway, please review and tell me what you think!<br>Crow: Yes, please review!  
>Jack: And if you don't, you're going to have to answer to me!<br>Elodie: Don't mind him, he's just teasing :)  
>Jack: No I'm not.<p> 


End file.
